Collision
by Kelie
Summary: 24 hrs after Max & Liz wed Liz begins to undergo another transformation. MLT. Also, Jesse is gone, and Isabel isn’t as upset as you’d think, as she starts to see something in Michael she’d never realized was there. MiI. Will love conquer all, or will they
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** _Collision_

**Author:** _Kelie_

**Summery:** _24 hrs after Max & Liz wed; Liz begins to undergo another transformation. (M/L/T). Also, Jesse is gone, and Isabel isn't as upset as you'd think, as she starts to see something in Michael she'd never realized was there. (Mi/I). Will love conquer all, or will they be fixated to their design?_

**Note:** _This story goes b/w present and past lives, with points of view from almost all characters. _

"It was so beautiful." Isabel gushed to Michael, handing him a Polaroid of Max and Liz's wedding.

He wasn't as enthused. "Yea, it was great."

Isabel was lonely. It had been months since she's left her husband – rather – forced him to leave. They were constantly on the run, always scared, always afraid. Max was happy, he and Liz had each other, and they were both aliens now too, so it wasn't like they had to worry about that. But she was alone, without husband, without a love. She felt sad, but not for loosing her husband – she just felt empty.

"So, is your room ok?" Michael tried to keep Isabel from staring at him.

Snapping back into reality, she nodded. "Oh yea, it's a great motel room, just like the hundred others I've seen – and am bound to see."

He watched her eyes roll carelessly back into her head, and her smile curl up at the sides of her mouth. She looked beautiful. For years he'd harbored something for her. He wasn't sure if it was love, but it was an attachment. Maria had just left – at his request. She couldn't handle the constant danger, all the stress, all the time. Kyle had offered to drive her back to Roswell, with the knowledge he'd have to sneak back out of the godforsaken town to get back to them. It shocked Michael that he wasn't as disturbed by Maria's absence as he thought he'd be. Suddenly he realized that he too was staring, at Isabel.

As they stared at one another, the TV behind them began to flick on and off, the lights suddenly went out, and left them in the dark. They simultaneously scooted themselves closer to one another. Before one could object to the personal space violation, they found themselves in the mist of a very long, very passionate kiss.

In the room next door, Max and Liz laid in bed – the night of their marriage. It was as close to a honeymoon as they would ever get. Side by side they slept. It had been rough in the past few months. Max had to deal with the continuous threat of the FBI, CIA and every other government agency. They got money through theft, which didn't help their desire to stay off the radar. Their lives were dwindling down to just barely surviving. He was happy to be married, but there was something missing inside him – other than his son. He couldn't pin point it, but it was like an itch he couldn't scratch. He loved Liz, but he wanted something else, something more.

"You were different-- you were a king! Now you're just a boy!" Liz trashed in her sleep – having some kind of nightmare.

Max, who had been lying awake – unable to sleep, immediately remembered where he'd last heard those words. It was what Tess had told him, just before she left to Antar with their son still in her womb. He rolled over to wake his sleeping wife.

"Liz, wake up. Wake up!" He begged.

Liz sat up with a start, breathing heavily – still in sleep mode, not completely awake.

"I did what I had to, to protect our son!" She screamed.

Confused, Max took her shoulders and shook her lightly. "Liz? Are you ok?"

"What, Max, what happened?" Liz seemed more confused than he did.

She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and got up to go to the bathroom. While alone, Max took the opportunity to go to his suitcase. He opened it up and shoved his hand in the little pocket hidden under all of his clothes. After a moment he pulled out a letter, and looked at it, remembering. It read:

_Max – _

_You will never know how much you meant to me. How much I loved you. I wasn't able to stop you from falling for her. You don't understand the ties that bind us are unbreakable. One day it'll hit you, I might not be there anymore – but you'll feel it, just as I have all these years. If you're reading this it means you have found out about some things that I am not proud of. Most likely you've sent me away, or worse; I just hope you can learn to forgive before it's too late._

_Always,_

_Tess_

Folding the letter up as Liz crawled back into bed; he stared down at the paper, and then looked oddly to Liz – who had just spoken Tess' words. Only, she'd not been present for either of those events. How could she have known what was said? Least of all what Tess said – with such accuracy?

"Coming back to bed?" Liz asked, questioningly.

Hesitant, he answered. "I'll be right there."

_**Years ago in another life time, on another planet**_

His majesty walked with elegance and grace as he moved silently through the large, palace halls. He opened the second to last door of the main hall, and walked inside – closing the door behind him.

The room was huge, bright with long flowing curtains, falling over the floor like waves of water, as the wind made them curl around the large bay windows. There seated in the middle of the bay window was a young girl with long dark hair. Her eyes were dark brown – very rare for their species. He took her in with a moment of breathlessness. Once she saw him, she stood up to greet him, motioning to hug.

"Not now, Kesia, I told you." Zan pushed her away.

Kesia pressed herself against the king. "You know, you would be happy with me." She reminded.

Taking a deep breath and sighing. "Happy – and empty." He concluded. "I'm sorry." He said at last.

Kesia seemed confused. "For, breaking my heart?"

"No." He turned his head to the doorway and yelled. "Guards!"

A wave of guards swept into the room and grabbed Kesia by the arms, forcibly dragging her out of the room.

"You can't do this! I didn't do anything! Stop!" She cried.

Zan walked out of the room, with the sounds of her screaming becoming muffled as she was led further away. As he neared the end of the hall another woman greeted him with open arms. This time he embraced her warmly, kissing her cheek.

This woman was blonde, with long curls that tumbled down her back. Her eyes were like a pair of dark blue gems. This was the Queen – Ava. The universe seemed to gleam from within her – like a light just waiting to be seen. She wore a dress with the royal seal on it, which matched the seal Zan carried on his shirt. Their hands clasped as they followed the trail of guards into the throne room.

"You're brave for doing this." Ava whispered into her husband's ear.

He was tickled by her words, but answered. "I think you're brave, for staying with me."

Inside the throne room, Kesia was shackled to a podium. She was stripped down to nothing but her under dress, a simple white gown with nothing special about it. Her long brown hair was pulled away from her face – showing the marks of a beating from the guards.

At the center of the room, in front of the podium was a set of four thrones, two larger in the middle and a smaller one on either side. Seated in one of the two smaller ones was a young woman, Vilondra, sister to the king and princess of Antar. In the other smaller throne sat a young man, Rath, the second in command and set to rule with Vilondra in the event that anything happened to Zan and Ava.

King and Queen sat down on their thrones, and waited for a moment as members of the king's court assembled. As they all came in and sat down, Zan took a moment to look at Kesia. She was shaking in fear; she knew all too well what this meant.

Zan cleared his throat, ready to give his sentencing. "Kesia has been found guilty of conspiracy against the throne!" The court let out a wave of shock. "This violation of our civil code will not be forgotten."

Ava took over for her husband. "For this crime, she will be terminated – and her essence shall be transported to Earth, a planet by which a species much like ours resides, however – they are far less evolved. She will not be given evolution through genes – she will live as they do, and thus die again as they do until she is recycled back into our civilization."

Vilondra stood up, pointing to the guards at her left. "Take her away for prepping."

"Let this punishment be a warning to anyone who would seek to conspire against your king." Rath stated, before escorting Vilondra out of the room.

Turning to his Queen, Zan took her hands into his, and looked into those giant blue eyes. She trusted him to do what was right, she trusted him to protect their station as rulers – and to keep this world from falling into war. So far, he'd managed to do that, but Kesia threatened to destroy everything they had worked for.

"Try not to worry, Zan." Ava smiled at her husband.

He tried to crack a smile. "I'm not."

"I know you too well, you can't lie to me. Do not worry my husband, for there is nothing to be worried about. Nothing will go wrong." She assured him.

_**Present time, present life**_

What made things always happen when they were least wanted? Why did the bad things happen when the good things had just settled down? Why was he haunted by a life, a woman that had betrayed him? Why was Liz crying out words that only Tess had said? Why was any of this happening?

"Michael…" Max knocked on the door – trying to keep from waking anyone else in the motel.

The door slowly opened. Michael was standing in his boxers, looking as if a hurricane had whipped through his room, and his alone. He rubbed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. He then stuck his face through a tiny opening between the door and molding, and began to speak.

"What is it Maxwell? Do we need to get moving again?" He sounded hurried, but hushed.

Suspicious of his actions, he asked. "Wait a minute – Is Isabel in there with you?" He tried to peak over Michael's shoulders.

Keeping him from seeing he stepped outside, and closed the door. "Maxwell, what do you want?" He insisted – changing the topic.

"Liz, she said something in her sleep." He began.

Rolling his eyes. "Yea, well people talk in their sleep." He was not impressed.

Taking him aside, he whispered. "Things that Tess said to me, in confidence."

"What?" A little bit more interested. "Does she know she said anything weird?"

Max shook his head. "I don't think so; she seemed dazed after she woke up."

"Maybe it was just her flashes – you know – getting into her dreams, or something?" He shrugged; shooing Max back to his room as he went back inside.

As he crawled back into bed, his body rested against Isabel's side. They began to spoon one another, and he fell back into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Kyle arrived at about eight, waking everyone up with news from Roswell. Liz was happy to hear that her father and mother were ok, and that according to Maria, they had destroyed her journal as asked. Although her parents had decided it would be too dangerous to let anyone else read it, so Maria's mother had not read the journal. Leaving Maria to explain where she had been for so many months. Apparently Jim Valenti was now Sheriff again, after the sheriff he had been working under got caught in a fire and didn't make it out.

Kyle had started to develop powers himself – nothing special, just the general molecular distortion that they all shared. Even still, he was one of them now, and just as nervous about being caught by the government and shoved in some white-room for the rest of his life. His knowledge of the law, thanks to his father, was very handy and usually kept them one step ahead in most cases, of potentially dangerous situations.

"How was the trip?" Isabel asked over a cup of coffee.

Kyle shrugged. "It was pretty much ducking behind bushes, and making sure I wasn't seen. Oh… the fun of being extraterrestrial. Pass the sauce." He stated, taking a bottle of Tabasco sauce and adding it into his coffee like milk.

Isabel smiled at him using the sauce and then looked at him questioningly. "What was it like?" She asked.

Kyle stared up at her from his cup, confused. "What was what like?"

"The taste of food, the smell of coffee; I mean, before you acquired our less acute taste buds." She wondered.

He thought about it. "They were just like I taste them now – but stronger, better." He remembered fondly.

Isabel knew he was stretching it, but it was harmless and she just smiled at him. "Huh, I can't imagine anything smelling or tasting different." She stared into her cup and watched the liquid swirl around. "Where's Max and Liz?" She asked, suddenly realizing that she hadn't heard anything from them since this morning when Kyle came back.

"I think they went for a walk. Max had to talk to her about something that happened last night." Michael explained, adding his own mixture of Tabasco sauce and milk to his coffee.

Kyle frowned, not being there last night he had no clue what that meant. "Huh?"

"Yea, what does that mean?" Isabel concurred with Kyle.

Michael groaned. "Nothing, Maxwell will tell you if he thinks it's a problem." He sat down, picked up a paper and began to read the obituaries.

Outside the motel; in a small field Max and Liz walked to the edge of the planted grass and sat down on the fence. Liz swung her legs over the fence and played with a lock of hair; while Max just became quiet and somber. Noticing her husband's sudden change in persona – Liz asked:

"What's the matter, Max?"

Snapping back into his current setting, he answered. "Last night. You said some things, things you couldn't have known." He began.

"You mean while I slept?"

He nodded. "Yes." Taking a breath, he continued. "Things that Tess said to me, while we were alone."

"What are you saying?"

Max could see the confusion on her face, and honestly, he didn't have an answer. "I don't know what I'm saying. I just know that it was weird, and it freaked me out."

"It was probably nothing. I probably got flashes in my sleep, when we touched." She shrugged.

Nodding, and resigning his stand. "Yea, that was probably it."

Isabel and Michael were alone again. Kyle had gone over to Max's room to take a shower and get changed. They sat on the bed and looked at one another again – like they had the night before.

"What's going on with us?" Isabel asked.

Michael shrugged. "I don't know." He admitted.

"Michael, we had sex. We know what that means." Isabel reminded him.

He nodded. "I know."

They looked down at the bed between them, where the alien book laid. It was opened to the page which described their destiny; Max and Tess and their son, and Isabel and Michael, and their child. Isabel touched her stomach and closed her eyes, a tear streaming down her face. Michael caught the tear and touched her stomach too. It began to glow blue, a tiny set of feet began to glow orange separately from the blue surrounding it.

"What are we going to do?" She asked, worried. "We can't let a baby come into this world, not when we're always on the run like this."

Michael agreed. "But what choice do we have?" He touched her face warmly.

As the sun set over the horizon, and everyone sunk into their beds, making themselves cozy and safe – Max once again lay awake. This time, he could not rest or sit in bed, so he took a walk.

While he was out, his wife began to thrash around in bed, violently as if having a seizure. Her hair flashed from brown to blonde again and again, lightening struck the ground outside the motel, and as the thunder roared in the distance, Liz settled back, sitting up with a start. Shadow covered her, making her nothing but a silhouette.

The door creaked open and Max tip-toed back inside – careful not to wake his wife. When he saw that Liz was not in bed, he stopped, startled. He felt a presence; it was familiar, like a recurring dream.

"Max." A soft, wispy voice called from behind.

He spun around to find a shadowed figure sitting in the chair by the window. When it stood up, it became clear that it was female.

"Liz?" He asked, nervous.

The figure stumbled closer, and grabbed his shirt for balance. Coming from the shadow the figure revealed itself to be none other than Tess! Max gasped, unable to speak; he backed away, frightened.

"What is this? Are you a ghost?" He asked.

She staggered. "Help me. They have me… you have to help." She begged.

"Tess, is that really you?" He reached to touch her.

Falling flat on the bed, she gasped for air. "Help…"

Max reached to help her, but before he could, Tess began to thrash violently, changing in and out of her current state. Finally she settled down into a sound sleep, once again as Liz. Max touched her cheek, and kissed her head, lifting her and putting her back into bed properly. This would have to wait until morning.

"I don't want morning to come."

Isabel was nervous, pacing quietly as Michael watched her. They didn't want to explain to Max that yet another baby was coming into the world. Possibly a child of human DNA, one they couldn't raise.

"I don't want morning to come." She repeated.

But morning did come. The sun rose up over the land and cast bright rays of light over all it saw. The warm, yellow and red light spilled through the curtains and spread along the floor, finally resting upon their bodies. Max rolled over and kissed his wife to wake her. She squinted, and fluttered her eyes – waking gently to the feel of his touch.

"Good morning." She smiled with a sleepy grin.

He grinned back, less enthused. "Good morning."

Liz wasn't stupid. She knew Max too well to not see his fear. Something had changed in the night, something had happened – but what?

"What's the matter, Max?" Her voice registered of a familiar insecurity.

He struggled to say what he knew he must. "Last night, I saw Tess."

Liz sat up, pulling the sheets around her like a little girl. She looked about, as if Tess would pop out of the shadows and attack. Once the momentary shock had passed, she realized that what her husband spoke of was impossible, Tess was dead.

"How can that be, Max?" She reminded.

He nodded uncomfortably. "I don't know."

"Well, what did she say?" She wondered.

He adjusted himself so that he was sitting eye to eye with her. "She asked me for help, she sounded like she was in pain."

"I see." Liz sounded devastated by the idea, and she quickly rose from the bed and moved to the small kitchenette. "You know Max, I put up with a lot, but your ex-wife showing up from beyond the grave is too much!" She was emotionally exhausted. "I can't deal with her – not again!"

Max stepped behind her. "Liz, you don't get it. You were Tess. You transformed before my eyes."

"I don't believe that, how?" She didn't want to hear this. "No." She shook her head.

He nodded, understanding this was a touchy matter. "We can keep this between us – for now." He rubbed her back, comforting her.

Later that morning, at their daily quasi breakfast-meeting, Isabel, Kyle and Michael snacked on croissants and Tabasco sauce. They stared at Max and Liz, who weren't talking, who weren't even looking at them. It was like the staring match of the century – but no one could win. Fed up with the silence Michael butted in with a comment:

"If you guys have something to tell, speak up." He suggested, munching down on his food.

Max shifted uneasily. "It's nothing, really."

"Well, if you have nothing to say, I'd like to mention a little detail." Isabel began – ignoring Michael's gestures to shut up. "I'm pregnant."

The deafening silence began, but quickly ended with Max's loud disapproval. "How could this happen? Do you realize what this means?" He sat down, almost falling into his seat.

Michael stood to defend Isabel. "Hey, it's not her fault ok?"

Max cocked his head to the left, and looked at his alien friend with an intensity he'd not seen in a long time. Michael hesitated before backing away and landing himself squarely in his seat again.

"Are you the father, Michael, did you get my sister pregnant?" He was angry.

Isabel stepped in to defend Michael. "Max, please – this isn't helping and it's not going to change the fact that what's done, is done."

Kyle tried to play the peace maker. "Hey guys, lets remember what the issue here is, our safety."

"How can we remain safe with a child tagging along? This isn't some joy ride, we're targeted – people will find us eventually, unless we figure out how to get off this God damned planet!" Max argued.

Everyone stared at him. They had never discussed leaving before. They all knew in the end that it was probably their only option, but still, it was a choice that none of them wanted to face. Least of all Liz or Kyle, who may be aliens now, but they had been born as humans. Every moment they spent as aliens caused them to loose a bit more of their humanity, they became more like the others, less ability to taste, or smell – as they gained their alien senses they lost their human ones. It was like the universe had a balance to keep, trading one sense for another.

As another argument was about to ensue, outside a vehicle halted. They all stiffened and became very still. The sound of footsteps grinding into the dirt became louder – the feet were coming right for the room! Max snatched his bags – always packed – and peeked out the window. Crawling along the side of the parking lot was a line of MP troops, making their way toward the doorway. Max signaled the others – they knew what it was and picked up their own bags and began to silently make their way toward the back door, where their van was parked.

Max jumped in the drivers seat, while Liz jumped in the passenger seat beside him, throwing their bags in the back with Michael, Isabel and Kyle. As soon as the side door had shut, Max slammed the petal; all while using his powers to rev the engine beyond its capability; a vehicle that could normally only reach eighty or ninety at most without falling to pieces was now topping just over a hundred and nine. The tires were shaking under the pressure. The seats in the car were also beginning to vibrate. Isabel took a moment to look behind her; the troops were starting to gain on them. She moved to the very back of the van and used her powers to open a hole in the window. She stuck her hand out and pushed the MP's truck back, causing a small explosion and fire in their engine. She watched as they fled from their doomed vehicle and as they ran to shield themselves from the fire.

"We're safe, for now." She sighed in relief.

Max glance behind him at the destruction. "They'll still come."

_**On Antar – in a life from the past**_

"Please, I beg of you. I'll do anything – don't do this. You can still stop this, please." Kesia whispered as an anonymous guard shackled her on a cold metal table. The guard was non responsive, as expected. They grew up with the belief that their king was their one and only ruler, what could ever be expected of them? According to their king, she was accused of treason, and no one accused of betraying the kingdom was going to get anything but death.

As she was being lowered into a flat position she saw Vilondra enter the chamber, looking erotically alluring. All the men seemed to let their gaze wander ever so slightly toward her. Even Kesia could appreciate her unique beauty. The royal family did come from excellent genes. They were stronger, smarter and more powerful than most on Antar.

"Lonnie, please – I beg of you…"

The princess smiled fondly at her, almost as if she were plotting something. She leaned over the table, resting her hand on the metal right by Kesia's arm. Brining her face close enough to hers to feel each other's breath, she spoke softly.

"My brother fancied you, you know?" Her tone was smug at best. "But he never loved you. He loves his wife."

Kesia began to cry. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because…" Her tone became more threatening now; she touched Kesia's cheek and looked at her coldly. "I want you to take that feeling with you to the next life. You would have ripped this family apart. Scandal would have destroyed Zan's credibility." She sneered. "The throne would have been ruined for our whole family."

The bound girl let the tears stream down her face. "I never meant to…"

"You never meant to, but you almost disturbed destiny, and destiny is not something to be touched." She dug her nails into Kesia's temple. "Zan was born second, but I was a girl – so he got the crown. My destiny is to be Queen – whether my brother knows it, or not. You almost ruined my plans. You were so close…" She smiled, fantasizing. "…but with just a few suggestions of conspiracy any trust the king had in you was diminished. I will be Queen, and you; you'll be forgotten." Looking up from the girl to the guards near by, Vilondra became an authority figure again. "I'm all done."

Upon her order, the guards began to lower a machine that hung above the metal table. It had two long tubes connected to it. One that entered into her mouth, and another that seemed to hover just above her chest. The tube that rested in her mouth began to pump red liquid – Antarian water - down her throat. She struggled at first, but after a few moments, she stopped moving and remained that way; she was dead. Just as her body fell still the tube that hung over her chest generated this loud humming sound. As the sound escalated a faint mist began to rise from Kesia's chest and glazed eyes. Once the mist was safely captured in the tube, it was then transported to a machine where a small embryo was growing. The mist was delivered into the tiny life and whisked away; sent to Earth where it would be implanted into the woman who would carry the child to term. The journey to Earth would take many years in a normal ship, which meant during this time the small fetus would be frozen, stored on the ship until it was ready to be placed in a human woman.


	2. Chapter 2

"Princess?" A Guard stopped her before she could leave the chamber. "What would you like us to do with the body?" He asked.

Vilondra looked carelessly at the corpse and waved it away. "I don't care; just make sure there's nothing left."

"Yes, your royal highness." He nodded, leaving to do as she asked.

**_Back to the present lifetime_**

Liz sat up suddenly – panting. Nightmares had woken her, but were they just dreams? She couldn't tell, they seemed more like memories, but how could that be?

They'd had a long, tiring night; another night on the run, another close call. To top it all off they were all angry or upset with each other. Their bonds were beginning to break. Things were falling apart. Max knew if they didn't get off this planet soon things would not end well – for any of them.

"Can't sleep?" Liz asked, coming out to greet him on the bench outside their room.

Max shook his head. "Not so much." He offered her his coat, but she didn't need it.

"Max…" Her voice trembled. She was obviously nervous about something.

He looked into her face and expressed the need to hear her. "What's the matter?"

"I'm starting to remember… something. I think they're dreams, but they seem so familiar." Her eyes met the ground and she twiddled with her shirt.

He focused in on her. "What do you remember?"

She stood up, and stared at the sky for a brief moment. Then turned to Max with a hesitant look on her face. She didn't want to say what she was about to. She didn't want to open this can or worms, and she almost didn't want to know the answer.

"Did Isabel, when she was Vilondra – did she kill anyone?" Liz seemed unnerved.

Max was shocked at her question and didn't know how to answer. "We think that she had something to do with Tess and Me… um, Ava and Zan loosing the throne."

Liz nodded in agreement. "I think she did too. I think she wanted the throne for herself. And…" She began to pull away, trailing off.

"And what?" Max was now completely engrossed in what she was saying – he just had to know.

Liz wrapped her arms around herself and sat on the ground, confused. "I think she killed me… Max… I think I knew you. I think I used to be like you… from Antar."

"That's not possible, you were born human." Max protested.

She nodded, understanding his inability to believe. "I know, I know – its nuts. But in my dreams, you and Tess had me executed for treason, and sent me to Earth… to live as a human."

Max was stunned. "Why would I do that?"

"I don't know, but it feels real Max, really, real." She ardently insisted.

He didn't like seeing his wife shaken like this. He helped her to stand again and kissed her gently, but as their lips met flashes of Tess ran through his head, images of her smiling, laughing, thoughts of them together in this life, and their past filled him. Liz pulled away, hurt. She'd never had to endure seeing Max's affection for another woman through his eyes. Once it had occurred however there was nothing to be done to take it back. Liz stumbled back, and began to tear up.

"You love her?" She could feel the hot lump rising in her throat.

Max tried to sooth her. "It's not what you think…" Honestly, he didn't know what it was. Could it be love?

"Don't deny it – I saw her. She's still in you. Why can't you just let her go?" She asked.

He couldn't answer a question he had no answer to. "I…" Words failed him.

"I can't take this. Not again, I just can't take it. Tess is dead, ok Max? She's dead!" Liz insisted.

Max fell onto the bench and let his head fall into his hands. "You don't know what its like." He began to cry.

Liz fell silent at his words. She just listened as, for the first time; Max bore his soul – his real soul, to her.

"It's like I'm torn in half. One part of me wants to stay here and be with you – forever. This other part of me, it mourns the past and it just can't let go. I thought when Tess died that I'd finally be able to move on. But instead when she died it was like part of me went with her. No matter how hard I try to get that part back, she's holding it, and I can't get past it." At this point, he looked up from his lap into her eyes. "Liz, she was my wife – more than that, she was my love, the one that I…" Max hesitated to tell her this. "I remember her, and what we had. I… I died to protect her, and everyday we're separated is like a day I'm trapped, away from air – I can't breath."

She didn't know what to say. It was like her heart had been torn from her chest and thrown against the wall. There she stood, feeling like a fool. She was in love with a man who was still hung up on his ex-wife. She'd given him her heart and he'd taken it – but not kept it. If she wasn't Liz Evans, who was she? Without Max, who was Liz? Were those dreams true? Was it the truth that Max perhaps had never loved her like he loved Tess? Had he been mistaken? Had she been mistaken?

"I can't believe its happening again!" Liz threw her arms in the air with despair. "You and I had an affair, and Isabel came to me, just before I died, and told me that you fancied me, but didn't really love me. That you loved your wife…" She began to sob. "Is it true, Max? Was I just an affair?"

He made a cowardly attempt at a shrug. "I don't know anymore…"

As Max and Liz dealt with their emotional epiphanies; in the room beside theirs, Michael and Isabel discussed their problems. Isabel was lying on the bed, rubbing her stomach. In almost 24 hours, she'd gained a couple of pounds – at this rate she'd be giving birth in about three months.

"How are you feeling?" Michael asked.

Isabel answered, annoyed. "How do you think? I'm about to bloat up like a balloon!"

"Right, sorry…" He sat down beside her – touching her tummy. "I just want everything to be ok." He assured.

She nodded, appreciating his sentiment. "I know, I didn't mean to snap at you."

Michael smiled lightly, and kissed her, then bent down and kissed her stomach. She giggled as it tickled her. He then proceeded to tickle her on purpose, causing her to playfully hit him as they began to wrestle on the bed.

After they had tired themselves out, Michael and Isabel began to drift off to sleep together. Michael remained awake though, and watched Isabel as she slept. He watched her stomach moved with each breath – imagining the life growing inside her. Memories of their past lives together began to swim back into his head – thoughts of the flashes and dreams he had with Isabel and their child. It just seemed so wonderful, and yet, it was also very frightening.

A child would bring joy – sure. How would they feed him or her, or educate them, or keep them safe? How could they do this for a child when they couldn't do these things for themselves? The thought of failing in this task brought shivers to his body, and he held Isabel closer, trying to quell his own fears.

As the night moved forward, Max couldn't sleep – even though Liz was now sound asleep. As crazy as it was, he wanted Liz to become Tess again – just for a moment, so that he might ask her what he was feeling, and why. And what Liz had to do with all of this. It was sick, wanting one wife to become the other. It was twisted, yet he couldn't shake the thought.

So, in an attempt to dampen his fears and nerves, he rolled over, and pressed his hand against Liz's forehead. Instantly he got many flashes, some of Liz, some of Tess, others of life on Earth, and yet some were of life on Antar. He saw himself through Liz's past life, and saw what they did to her. Even though these images were disturbing, what haunted him more was a memory that Liz held locked away – she had seen Zan and Ava kiss on a balcony, it had crushed her. When Max saw himself kissing Tess in their former lives, something inside him began to swell with longing. He missed that feeling, that completion she brought to him, like he was built to be with her… ironically he had been built to do just that. Maybe that's what this feeling was. It was his biological design, to long for Tess and for what his past life had. He would never know for sure, unless he could bring Tess back. With his hand still firmly pressed against Liz; Max concentrated on everything he knew about Tess, everything he saw in flashes, both his and Liz's, he thought about their son, and about her death, about seeing her in the pod, and of course watching her leave to Antar. He remembered everything, and slowly he saw Liz's brown hair become blonde, and curly. As her eyes fluttered open, it was blue, not brown that met his gaze. Her tanned skin turned into a soft milky white, and her lips turned a lusty natural red. It was Tess.

"Max?" Her voice was soft and wispy, just as he remembered. She sat up, rubbing her eyes; her expression was groggy.

He smiled softly and touched her soft curls that tumbled by the sides of her face. "Tess."

"How did I get here?" She asked, confused. "I was only able to maintain that transformation for a few minutes before."

He didn't know what that meant. "You mean you're alive?" He gulped. "You're not a ghost?"

She laughed, as if that was a stupid thought. "No, I'm not dead. I think I'm hearing things… you almost sounded happy to think I was alive."

She stood up, stretching her legs and arms, yawning. She then moved to put on a bathrobe and sit down beside a bewildered Max.

"Then where are you?" He took a moment. "And if this is really Liz's body, how are you here?"

Tess smiled, glad he asked. "Those are good questions." She sat down and took his hand. "I'm in a dark place, a room, I've been there since the base blew up – they captured me. They had me on these drugs, and they did a lot of tests, so finally when they didn't get what they wanted they just locked me up. The other night I gathered the last of my energy to send a message to you. Basically I take on whatever form you want me to..." She smiled fondly toward the mirror at the far end of the room. "I'm glad you chose this one."

Max blushed. "Liz… I need to know what you know about her… before."

She scrunched her nose up a bit at the thought. "Her name was Kesia. I didn't know about her until I was in her body, and I got these flashes. I think my presence triggered memories of her past. I had no idea about Liz, honest."

He nodded in agreement. "I saw flashes too… I saw us." He took her hand in his. "I'm remembering us more and more, and everyday it seems like I can't breathe… but right now, I feel ok."

"Max…" Tess was overwhelmed with emotion. "You really mean you remember us, I mean, what we had, the bond, the happiness?"

He nodded.

"Oh… God…" Tess began to break down in tears. "I just wish I could be with you, and our son."

Max agreed. "I want that too. He's better off without us, he's human."

"No Max, that's the thing…" She looked away, clearing her throat. "The men at the place I've been held in. I overheard them talking about other hybrids that they captured. They say our powers are dormant until something triggers them. Our alien powers don't normally manifest until later in childhood, because our human side is more dominant during infancy and early childhood. They've been doing tests on some hybrids, but I couldn't hear who." Tess insisted.

He was shocked. "You mean… oh no." He shook his head in disbelief. "We have to get Zan back; I don't want him to have to hide who he is from everyone he loves. I know how exhausting that is."

Tess looked down, ashamed. "I wish I could go with you." She leaned over and kissed Max's cheek. "But I have to go."

"No, wait…" Max protested.

Tess began to cry, not wanting to go. "Once Liz wakes up, I'll be gone."

"I'll go back for you… I promise." He called out, as she fell onto the bed, sleeping – slowly turning back into Liz.

**_Their Past lives_**

It was the day of Vilondra and Rath's wedding. This was supposed to be a great day; a day that generation after generation would speak of in awe.

Vilondra – dressed in royal wedding robes – walked with a long stride down the main hall, into her bedroom chambers. She closed the large double doors, and shooed her servants away. As the last of the servants slipped out the door, a man entered. He was very tall, strong, and confident looking. However, he was not Rath.

"Hello, Princess." He smiled, taking her hands in his and pulling her into his arms.

Vilondra smiled. "After tonight, I will not be a Princess."

"After tonight, I will not be head of the royal guard." His smile turned to a softer expression – bending in to kiss her.

She pulled away after a moment. Becoming serious and quiet – making sure no one was listening.

"Kavar, this is no time to tempt fate. I have to marry Rath first. If the wedding doesn't happen, even if Zan and Ava die – I will not be Queen - I will remain a princess… forever." Her voice was filled with a desperate hatred. "I won't let that happen."

Kavar cupped her face with his hands. "Shush Lonnie, it's alright. Once you are wed, I will have Rath assassinated; with him out of the way you'll be free to appoint a new King; one who won't follow in your brother's idealistic ways."

Vilondra smirked. "It has to look like they are attempting to assassinate me as well. If I am linked to Rath's murder, the council and court will over-rule any appointments I make to the throne – including you." She pressed herself against him. "I have faith in you."

He smiled lightly, running his hands along her sides. As his hand grazed over her stomach, a flash ran through his mind. He saw that she was carrying a child, and it was not his. He broke away from their embrace.

"What's wrong?" She asked, confused.

Covering, he faked a weak smile. "Nothing, I just don't want us to get caught – when we're so close to getting away with everything." He began to move toward the door. "I'll see you later tonight, at the wedding."

**_Back to their present lives_**

They had all been awoken with a start by Max. He told them to gather themselves and all their things into the van, and told them to hurry up and be prepared to move. With great haste they did as they were told.

Kyle was the first to make it to the van with everything he owned, one suitcase. Liz was next with her two bags; she slid in next to her husband. Finally, Isabel and Michael ran out of the motel carrying their bags and about forty candy bars that they had taken form various vending machines.

"What's with the candy?" Kyle asked, ready to laugh.

Michael shrugged. "Don't look at me… it was all her." He pointed to Isabel.

"Hey, I'm craving sweets – I can't help it." She blushed.

Max rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Let's just go."

"Um, Maxwell, where is it that we're going?" Michael asked finally.

Max hesitated. "New Mexico."

"You're going back for her. Aren't you?" Liz asked softly.

Max simply nodded as he pressed his foot on the gas and sped down the road.

Michael, Isabel and Kyle all stared at each other. They didn't want to think that they were going to a state where they were sure to be found, all for _her_. Isabel threw the candy bar she'd been eating and leaned in hopelessness against Michael.

"Wait, Max you're telling us that we're going to go back, for Tess? But she'd dead!" Kyle protested.

Max shook his head. "She's alive, and she's been tortured, and kept hostage. You all don't have to understand why, but I have to do this." He sped the van up.

**_Their Past Lives_**

Today would be a good day. Zan was in a great mood. He'd woken up to the soft touch of his wife beside him, was greeted by her smile and kiss. He could not imagine a better way to wake. To make everything even better, today was going to be the day his best friend; his second in command married his sister. Yes, today would be a good day.

Ava took a sip of her drink and set it down beside their bed. She scooted next to her husband and ran her hands over his chest, stopping over his heart. She took his hands, and brought them to her heart.

"What is it?" He asked his wife, confused by her silent gesture.

She shook her head. "I don't know." She seemed worried. "I feel something in the air, Zan. It's heavy and weighs down upon my soul. I fear something will go wrong today."

"I'm sure everything will be fine." He smiled, soothing her as they leaned in and warmly kissed each other.

As the morning pressed on, Ava and Zan discussed a project that could potentially ensure their rule beyond their own deaths. It was an idea presented to them by a loyal scientist. The royal four, Zan, Ava, Rath and Vilondra all had surrendered their DNA for the experiment. Although only the king and queen knew why, the others were not told of it. They feared that Rath and Vilondra would not consent to such an idea. So they had made plans without them, ensuring the Royal four would have a back-up plan.

"We'll probably never need this anyway." Zan sighed, signing the last of the papers.

Ava smiled. "We can only hope."

**_Back to their present lives_**

It was barely dawn of the second day of travel, when Max noted a sign saying they had reached the desert area about twenty miles outside Roswell. He slowed their van to a stop and got out. The others began to wake, realizing that they were no longer in movement.

"Why did we stop?" Isabel asked.

Max turned to his friends, who had joined him in the desert. "We have to make this very quiet. In and out, with as little notice as possible." He took a breath. "Anyone who doubts their abilities to do this must stay here."

After a moment, Isabel began to step back. She sat on the top of the van's engine hood and looked into her brother's face with discontent.

"I'm pregnant Max; I won't jeopardize my child for your crusade." She explained.

Michael nodded in agreement. "I'm staying with her." He sat next to Isabel.

"I won't help you save her." Liz said, hanging her head.

Finally Max turned to Kyle. "What about you?"

"It's weird, I get why she was scared about Alex, and even why she did what she did. None of it was on purpose, and now that I'm alien, I get it, I do. Plus, Buddha preaches forgiveness." Kyle patted Max on the shoulder. "I'm with you."

Max sighed. "Fine, it's just us. You all stay here; be careful. If anyone finds you… contain the problem at all costs."

His order shook them with its finality. He meant for them to kill anyone who would attack them. That was something he'd never told them to do before. Then again they had not split up like this since they'd gone on the run. Things had changed, and so their tactics had to become more brutal.

It had taken Kyle and himself almost a full twenty-four hours to walk the twenty miles to Roswell. The desert slowed them down, its heat making it impossible to move at times. They would not have gone directly to Roswell, but Jim Valenti was their only link to law enforcement, and therefore their best hopes of finding the base where Tess was being held. Roswell also had information to his son's whereabouts. Only his father could give him that information, so no matter what way he looked at it, they had to come back here and risk exposure.

Kyle ducked into the ally beside the Crashdown café and whispered to Max. "I'm going to run in the back door and use the bathroom. I gotta go, now!" He persisted.

"Alright, I'll wait here – be quick about it." Max ordered, he wanted to laugh at Kyle's squirming, but he maintained his composure and kept quiet.

The Sheriff's son turned Alien ran along the side of the building, to the backdoor. He used his alien abilities to unlock the metal door, and slip into the backroom. He was stunned when he bumped into Maria, taking out the trash. Instinctively he held out his palm, ready to blast anyone who might threaten him.

"Whoa, space-cadet!" She backed away. "Me ally, me friend." She joked.

Kyle rolled his eyes, letting down his guard. "I have to pee." He exclaimed, his face contorting into funny faces.

Maria giggled and nodded the ok, the bathroom was empty. She watched as he ran, with knees together toward the toilet. Waiting for the flush, Maria stood up as she heard Kyle re-emerging from the bathroom.

"So, can I know what you're doing back here so soon, or did you like, never leave?" She was sincere in her concern for him.

He shook his head. "Max and I had to come back, but its better that you don't know the details." He gave an apologetic look. "Hey, has my dad been here for lunch yet?"

Maria smiled. "Twice, actually; He had to come back for his hat." She paused. "He should be back at the station by now." She concluded.

"Thanks, Maria." He hugged her warmly and slipped back out the door.

The waitress watched him go with a soft smile. Part of her wished she was still part of the craziness, but the more logical – smarter part knew that would be like asking for an early grave. Which was something Maria De Luca was not willing to risk.

"How long is this going to take?" Isabel sighed, falling back onto the side of the van.

Michael grunted, looking out on the horizon where he'd seen Max and Kyle last. "I have no idea…"

He walked a few feet away from the van, and squatted down. Staring at the ground, he watched a small beetle crawl from him. He waved his hand over the bug, and transformed it into a baby snake. He picked the new creature up and smiled at himself. He was getting very good at manipulating live things. It was getting to the point where it scared Max enough that the king had told his second to resist the urge to change living things into different species. But why should he obey his feeble leader? Max had brought all of them nothing but anguish and pain.

"Look at this…" He said proudly.

Isabel looked up at it and smiled, supportive. "That's lovely, Michael. Maybe you could whip up something for us to eat?"

He shrugged, and set the snake down. He waved his hand over it again, this time with more focus. He transformed the snake into a chicken. He picked the bird up and grinned.

"Hey, you need it cooked?" He asked, joking.

Viciously, he held his hand on the bird. It died, and when waved his hand over the corpse, decapitating it, and plucking it. Then, he did it again, cooking the bird to a golden color. He smiled proudly. Grabbing some plastic plates and cups, he once again used his powers to change them into real dining wear.

Smelling the food, Liz poked her head out. She was amazed to find Isabel and Michael chewing down on a chicken. She sat down, taking a plate of food that was offered to her by Michael. She began to eat it, and then frowned at its taste.

"This tastes… weird." She snorted.

Isabel giggled. "Yea, well… it was cooked by Michael."

"Don't listen to her, its fine. Eat up." He insisted.

Liz took another bite. "You know, this doesn't taste like Chicken… where did you guys get this?"

The aliens grinned. Michael sighed, putting his food down for a moment, swallowing the remainder of chewed bird in his mouth.

"Look, chickens don't exactly grow in the desert. So… I improvised." He laughed.

Liz gagged. "Eeew. What was this? Was it a bug or something?"

"It started out as a bug, but then it went through some changes." Isabel explained. "I think snake was among them."

Liz stood up, disgusted. "You know, I think I'm just going to go to sleep."

Meanwhile, in Roswell Max and Kyle were patiently waiting to Jim to get back with any information about the where Tess might have been taken. They were lying back on the couch, using their powers to play cards with napkins.

"Hey that's cheating!" Kyle exclaimed.

Max scoffed. "I have no clue what you're talking about…" He grinned.

"You just made a fifth Ace." Kyle sneered.

The king shook his head, protesting the claims. "I never cheat." He assured.

"Yea, alright… you're majesty." He joked.

Max shifted uncomfortably. Kyle saw his friend become upset, and he put down his cards. Folding his arms, he leaned in to speak.

"Can I ask you something, Alien to Alien?" Kyle began.

Max shrugged. "Sure."

"What's going on here; with you and Liz, and now this whole thing with Tess?"

He groaned at the question. "Liz and I… things are just not the way I thought they would be." Max relented.

"I see." Kyle nodded. "You know, it takes a lot to love someone. You love her, don't you?" He questioned.

Max nodded. "I do. I always will. I'm just starting to realize that maybe I can't love her the way I should."

As they were about to discuss this, Kyle's father came through the door, papers and maps in hand. He saw the boys talking and announced his arrival. Sitting down with them, he spread out everything he had gathered on the coffee table.

"There are two bases that she could have been taken to." Jim explained, pointing to a map that had been marked.

Max studied the map. "These are huge bases. Which one do you think is holding her?"

Jim stared at him a moment. "Max, honestly… I don't know." He said.

Kyle patted his dad's back. "But if it were you, which one would you, start with?"

"Fort Callahan; It's large, and a very big portion of it has never been inspected by outside authorities. If it was me, I would start there." He answered.

Max stood up, taking the map and papers. "Thank you."

"Listen, I'll come for you guys in the early morning, here." Jim pointed to a spot on the map. "It's about a mile into the desert."

Kyle nodded. "Thanks."

He hugged his father and they exchanged goodbyes once again. Jim watched his child leave on a mission that could possibly kill him. His boy had grown up, brave, courageous and strong. Now there was nothing that he could do but sit back and hope, and prey that his son would walk away from this, and live to see another day.

The van was rocking back and forth. Liz was sitting outside, also rocking back and forth. Michael and Isabel had been in there, alone, for at least an hour. Suddenly, as she watched the vehicle violently move right and left, its metal body was covered in hot electric current. Liz stood up amazed. She waited as the electric passed, and held her breath; wondering if that was a usual occurrence with their 'alone time'.

A moment later, Michael came sauntering out with a grin on his face. His hair was mussed and he seemed to be in utter bliss. Liz approached him, briefly gazing at the van where Isabel still remained.

"Hey… so um, that was uh… hot?" She was uncomfortable with the subject.

Michael smiled wide. "You betcha!"

"Right, but that doesn't always happen, right?" She shyly questioned.

He smirked. "If it didn't, I'd be mightily disappointed."


	3. Chapter 3

Liz nodded, feigning a laugh. She scooted a little away from Michael and sat back on the ground. Michael eyed her behavior and sat down next to her. He leaned with his palms against the ground, and looked at the sorrowful girl.

"You know, I loved Maria. I still do." He began.

Liz groaned. "Michael, if this is some kind of pep talk…" She warned.

"Hardly… I'm not the peppy type." He joked, and continued. "Like I was saying, I loved Maria. For a long time, I thought that love was enough."

Liz watched with a tearful expression. "It wasn't?"

"When Isabel married Jesse, I was furious. At first I thought it was due to the danger it posed to all of us. Then I realized it was something else, it was me. I was mad because someone had taken Isabel from me. Now, I tried to ignore it, because, like I said, I loved Maria. Except I came to this realization, when we went on the run; she's human. She'll always be human. I'm not and never can be what she is. One day I will leave, probably not by choice, but it'll happen. Somewhere a long the way, I saw Isabel as I did when I was Rath. I saw her, and I fell in love with her. Who she is and who she was." He explained as softly as he could.

She stared at him, nodding. "So you think Max went through the same thing you did, for Tess?"

"No." He shook his head. "Maxwell didn't just love Tess. He actually married her. Something you have to realize that he didn't just give her his heart. By marrying her, he gave her his throne, he trusted her so much that he entrusted her to rule with him, an entire planet. That might seem silly to say, cause it's obvious, but when you think about it… how much love would you have to feel for someone, to be able to trust them with that? I can't imagine love like that. Love that not only survived obstacles, but it survived death." Michael sighed, feeling bad for Liz.

She gulped back the burning need to cry. "Max loves me, I know he does."

He nodded, and stood up, sullen drawn. "But is it enough?" He turned to walk, then as he was about to go back inside the van, he turned to say one last thing. "Not even death could stop them from finding each other, it just prolonged the inevitable."

Liz called out. "And what's that?"

"Destiny." He closed the van door, leaving Liz to the solemn thought that her soulmate was indeed fated for another.

As they burned a human-size hole into the perimeter fence, Max kept watch to make sure no guards saw them crawling inside the base's surrounding land. They snuck under the window of the first set of guards. Kyle took a breath and waved his hand over his own face, making it look much older. He then did the same for his clothes, and turned his normal street duds into a colon's uniform. He stood up, surprising the guards.

"You there, get your men on the phone. Our jeep stalled down the road." He commanded in a stern tone.

The guard by the phone hesitated. "Sir, I'm going to need identification." He began.

Kyle grew angry. "Listen here maggot! My boys are carrying deadly toxins! If they don't reach the base in fifteen minutes, this whole area will be quarantined, and you will be held responsible!" He threatened.

The low level guards were shaken with this prospect and quickly called up a rescue group. As they were preoccupied with the phone calls, Kyle pointed toward the base.

"I'm going to go ahead a warned the base, just in case of an emergency. You two keep calling, get as many people to that jeep as you can, hurry!" He said.

As they worked, Max and Kyle made their way toward the base, running and ducking as much as they could to let as few people know of their presence. They reached a side entrance; Kyle unlocked the door, which had a key pad, and let Max enter. They were trying to use as little of Max's powers as possibly, preserving his superior gifts for both the healing of Tess, and their getaway, which was sure to be harder than their way in.

"According to the map, we have to make it to the bottom level of the base." Max explained.

Kyle nodded. "How do you know that?"

"Because, that's where the area that was never inspected begins."

They start heading toward the bottom level, going toward the unknown. Max led the way, as his powers would give them a protective advantage, should they need it. Surprisingly there was a lot more civilian-clothes people walking around. So, after a bit of thinking, they thought they might get through this quicker, if they just tried to walk through it, as if they belonged.

Their plan worked, until they reached a check point of sorts. It was the final gate between them, and the bottom level. It was a gated section of hallway that led to an elevator, which only went down. This would be how they would reach the bottom level of the base. Max and Kyle slowed their walking down to a comfortable pace. They observed another man enter through the locked gate. He swiped a key-card, quickly followed by a finger-print scanner, which then allowed you to pass through. Without fingerprints to compare to, Kyle and Max would have no way of passing through that gate. So they pulled back, and waited for someone else to come toward their destination.

After a few minutes, a pair of men wearing jeans and T-shirts began to approach their area. Kyle and Max nodded to one another and reached out, grabbing the humans. Without much forethought, Max placed a hand on head of the men. His palms began to burn with a red color. The men struggled, but Kyle held their mouths closed, to avoid being heard. Only a moment or two after Max had begun to sear the men with his power, they collapsed, dead. Kyle was amazed at his stone-cold face. The king of Antar had just killed two men, without a second thought.

"How do we do this?" Kyle whispered.

Max studied one of the men's hands. "We have to copy their fingerprints."

"I don't know if I can do that yet." The human-turned-alien warned.

Max would not hear it, as he placed the other man's hand in Kyle's and gave him a strong look. He had no choice, he would have to do this, and he'd have to do it now.

"Buddha, forgive me." He muttered, as he concentrated on the dead man's hand.

The king quickly copied his victim's prints and waited as Kyle struggled to gain control of his own powers, enough to do this task. It took Kyle a great deal to be able to copy the man's finger prints. Once it was accomplished, Max and he dragged the bodies further down the hall, shoving them in a closet and shutting the door. Kyle melted the handle, to keep anyone from seeing the gruesome contents, at least for a while.

With newly made prints, the boys paced their way toward the gate, and passed through without so much as a second look by anyone who might have seen them. This was too easy. It only made Max worry more about their return from the base. If it was easy to get in, he just knew it would be a nightmare to get out.

Inside the elevator, they found unlabeled buttons, and a switch to start things up. Max flipped the switch, and a computerized voice spoke to them. "Confirm level destination." It ordered.

Max squirmed. "Bottom level." He announced.

"Unauthorized command, confirm level of destination, or security will be notified." It warned.

He grabbed Kyle by the arm in a desperate panic. "Uh… what now?"

Kyle looked around. Seeing no numbers on the buttons, he quickly realized they didn't need them. He counted the number of buttons and spoke aloud.

"Level nine." He exclaimed.

The computer was silent. Shortly after, the button on the bottom lit up. Max pushed it, and the elevator began its journey downwards.

"Good thinking." Max congratulated.

Kyle nodded, but added. "Nine levels, Max… just like of hell."

His conclusion of this place was not so far off. If it was anything like the base Max was held in, he knew Tess had been brutally tortured, for months. The thought sent a wave of shivers down his spine. The sadistic nature of humans was nauseating.

**_Their Past Lives_**

"He's on his way!" A young girl shrieked.

She jumped about in her dress, as her mother hurried to get her kitchen and house in order. She muttered as she ran from point to point, trying to make everything spotless.

Ava stepped in the way of her parent. "Mother, come on, please just settle down."

She sighed, settling. "I'm nervous. The heir to the throne wishes to marry my eldest daughter. What am I to do, act normal?"

"Perhaps that would be best." Ava laughed.

The young girl grinned as a knock at the door was heard. "I'll get it!" She scurried toward the door, beating everyone else.

She swung open the large front door, to find a tall man with large dark eyes, and dark hair. He looked very powerful, strong too. She stood in awe for a moment, and then he bent down and gave her a white rose.

"You must be Ava's little sister Tenna." Zan bent down to her level, handed her a white rose and patted her head. "Is Ava here?" He inquired.

Tenna nodded shyly, opening to door wider to let him in. "She's in the sitting room." She pointed, leading him toward his destined wife.

Ava heard footsteps. She knew it was Zan, she could pin point his steps from anywhere. They had met at a party, and shared their first kiss that very night. She was not royalty. Nor was she rich, her family was well off, but by no means a family that would normally run in royal social circles. Zan's father, the King had hired her to organize several meetings between the six worlds that revolved around their two suns. War weighed heavily in their system and Ava shared a political knowledge that was far beyond that of most people her age. The king had picked her personally from several students in her school. Because of her work with the king, she had been granted an invite to the annual royal ball. It was there she met and fell in love with the prince and king to be, Zan.

"Hello." His voice found her at once, making her knees buckle.

She bowed her head. "Hello, your highness." She looked at him, sorrowfully. "I'm sorry to hear about your father, he was great man." She said.

"Thank you." He touched her cheek, and gave her a small box. "I was hoping we might talk alone." He suggested.

She nodded, motioning for her curious mother and sister to leave them. "What is it you wanted to see me for?" She asked, almost blushing, as somehow she already knew.

He dropped to his knees, folding himself on the ground. He took her hands in his and stared into her giant blue eyes.

"When I first met you, I knew I'd never meet another girl that could make me feel this way." Zan reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver bracelet, the symbol of marriage.

Ava's heart melted, she too fell to her knees and greeted his eyes with her own. "I'd be honored Zan of Antar, to accept this." She let him slide the silver chain over her hand onto her wrist.

They embraced; his arms wrapping her up. Her chin rested on his shoulder and they cried together.

**_Their present lives_**

Max stumbled back a step. Kyle braced his arm. He looked inquiringly at the alien king.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Max shook his head. "A memory… Tess is close, I can feel it."

Kyle started to scoff when he saw his friend's look of desperation. He wanted to ask him what this new found fascination with Tess was, but he figured any answer would be vague at best. Still, he couldn't resist a chance to get answers.

"Max, since I'm risking my life for this quest, can you at least tell me, why?" Kyle was serious, and stopped moving forward, pressing that he needed an answer, now.

The alien king hesitated. "Kyle…" He began to protest.

"No way, you have to tell me, what happened to change your mind about Tess?"

He sighed, and leaned against the cold cement wall. "It wasn't a change, it was more like… waking up from a dream, and finally seeing the truth that you've been running toward your whole life."

"And you think Tess is the answer to this truth?"

Max nodded. "Kyle, I remember her, and us. I remember the day I asked her to be my wife, and the day that we died. I remember dying to protect her, and to this day I would do the same. I'm ashamed of how I acted, and how I treated her. We shared so much, and I threw it away to try and become human."

"Wow."

Kyle was amazed at his sincerity. Max truly had come to a decision. As his friend, it was his duty to help him through these obstacles, and he would, even if it meant his death. Max gave him his life, and he would risk it to repay him.

They wandered through the bottom level halls, until they reached a large metal door that was guarded by two men. The boys held back, and considered their options. They could go up to them and try their hand at bluffing their way through. Or they could-

Before Kyle could continue that train of thought, Max was already marching toward them, his hand outstretched, ready to attack. Kyle started sprinting to catch up. By the time he'd gotten to the other side of the hall, Max had already placed his hands on the two men, killing them the same way he'd killed the men upstairs. Kyle gulped back, trying not to freak out. They had now killed four military men, and lord only knew what would be on the other side of that door.

"Let's go." Max ordered.

Kyle nodded, using his powers to unlock the metal door. "It's dark… I can't see a thing."

Max nodded, agreeing that it was way too dark to see. He held out his hand, and the lights above them turned on. They looked around. It was a large room with a metal operating table in the middle. In the far right corner was a chair with arm and leg straps. The alien king gulped, flashing back to his time in the white room. Unlike his cell, this place was filthy. The smell of dried blood and wounded flesh hung in the air with a thick odor that threatened to ruin their noses.

The proceeded further into the room. Now they could vaguely make out the shape of someone lying in the far left corner.

"Tess?" He stepped closer.

The figure did not move.

Kyle fretted. "Is she?" He wondered aloud.

"No." Max insisted, bending down beside the body.

Rolling it from its side, his eyes once again took in her face. It was indeed Tess. Her hair was longer now, and her face was pale. Her skin was dry, her lips cracked. She looked severely malnourished, and dehydrated. Bruises, cuts, and wounds scattered across her body, which had been stripped of clothing. Max began to cry at the sight she'd been left in. He stroked the side of her face, his hot tears hitting her cheek.

"Tess… Tess, wake up." He encouraged.

Her eyes fluttered weakly. "No… this isn't real." She spoke, her voice so weak it was barely above a whisper.

Watching this scene caused a great flood of compassion to fill Kyle's heart. He'd had his doubts about Tess, but she had redeemed herself with her selfless sacrifice. She had given her life to these monsters so that they might live, all of them – even those who would have killed her. He hated himself for even considering letting her rot here. Michael, Isabel and Liz sickened him now, more so than he thought possible.

"Max, heal her as much as you can, and then we have to go!" Kyle hurried.

Max held out his hands and cupped her face. His palms began to emit a white glow, which surrounded her head. Soon the wounds and bruises began to lessen. Her eyes opened slightly more, and her mouth attempted to smile.

Her lips mouthed words. "I always believed in you." She stated in a soft whisper.

"Shush now, I won't be able to heal you totally until we're to safety." He explained, helping her to stand.

Kyle turned away from her naked, shivering body. Then, without looking back at her, he handed her his coat. She accepted it, and wrapped it around herself. Max helped her to button it, as her coordination was lacking.

"Can you walk?" Max asked.

She considered. "I think so." She said quietly.

She took a step forward, seemed fine, but as her feet attempted the next step her knees gave way under her, and she plummeted to the floor once more.

"Tess!" Max grabbed her arm, keeping her up.

He was so warm, and safe. She couldn't believe that he'd come for her. It was a miracle. As he half dragged her from her cell, her mind wandered to a past almost forgotten, as memories of her former life filled her mind. She grasped at the wall, as guns began to fire. Even with all of the noise and commotion, her thoughts floated away, to another place, another time.

**Their Past Lives**

It was the night of their wedding. The sky was filled with silver and gold sparkles. Stars that seemed to light up the night even more than normal. Ava stood out on her bedroom balcony and breathed in the crisp, cool air. As her skin began to get goose bumps, warm hands rolled over her arms. She closed her eyes, and took in the familiar scent.

"I thought I wasn't going to see you until later." She breathed.

He kissed her neck. "It was too long to wait."

She turned to greet his grin. They embraced with a tightness, as if they had not seen each other in a long time. She knew, as she gazed up at him, that he was the only soul for her. That no matter were she traveled, or what would occur in the future, that he was going to be there – forever.

**Their Present Lives**

"Get down!" Max screamed.

He pushed Tess to the ground, as bullets whizzed above their heads. He erected his green energy barrier. The guns fired, but their bullets never reached their targets. They hit the barrier and fell innocently to the ground.

Kyle was trying to unlock a door that led to a set of stairs. "I can't do it… I'm too nervous."

Tess looked up, painfully pulling herself onto her knees. She could feel her insides begin to turn; her power was starting to pump inside her chest. Thoughts of her son, and how if she failed to get out of here, he would be left without protection. As surely once Kivar realized he was indeed the rightful heir to the throne, his life would be the sole target of their enemy's army.

"Move." She grunted, outstretching her hand in front of her.

Kyle stepped to the side, just as the door he'd worked on exploded. The entire metal door came from the hinges, leaving a gapping hole in the wall where it had once been.

Max turned to see her use her energy. "No!" Just as he tried to stop her; she blew the door out of the wall, and fell to the ground – completely tapped of energy.

"Kyle, run!" He ordered his friend to start without him.

The alien king let out a wave of energy, knocking the attacking soldiers to the ground. He spun around, scooped up Tess, who was unconscious. He slung her over his shoulder, and began to speed down flights of stairs, all the while keeping his hand wary of men who were chasing them, just out of shooting range.

Kyle could hear Max making his way down the stairs. He was a good two flights ahead of them, and he stopped to let them catch up – guarding the stairwell door at the same time. Max caught up, and he pushed him to continue running.

"No matter what, don't stop." Max explained.

He nodded. "Right."

Max slung Tess' arm over his shoulder, as Kyle took her other arm. They began to run again, dragging the unconscious girl between them. The human made hybrid alien held out his hand, and blasted the door in front of them. As they charged into the next hall, they were greeted by several units of military police.

"Fire!" The leader yelled.

Bullets once again began to whiz past them. They hit the floor, letting Max erect his barrier again. This time Kyle knew that Tess would not save them, he would have to do it. Max was busy keeping them from becoming Swiss cheese; it was his duty to make sure they got out of there. Spinning around, he looked down the other side of the hall. He tried to remember the map of the base. Suddenly he got an idea.

"This way!" He called from behind Max.

They began to move backwards, toward a dead end. The troops followed quickly. They'd given up shooting, as their bullets never reached their targets. Now they were attempting to trap the aliens, at this rate Max was sure they would be trapped.

"Um, Kyle… dead ends are not the best was to escape." He warned.

Kyle smirked. "For humans, sure. For us, it's the best way."

Max set Tess against the wall and took a moment to check her pulse. Satisfied that she was still ok, he turned to Kyle, simultaneously putting his barrier up to keep the troops at bay.

"What's the plan?" He asked

Kyle smiled, putting both his hands on the wall. He took a deep breath and concentrated on the point where his hands touched the wall. Soon the wall began to bubble, as if melting from beneath his skin. Pushing lightly on the spot the wall began to give. He opened his eyes and turned to Max, who was carrying Tess now.

"Go." He said, motioning toward the wall.

Max hesitated. "Through the wall?"

"Yea."

He nodded. "You're nuts."

His banter meant nothing however, as he marched toward the spot and carefully tested the wall. He pushed his hand through the cement and brick, then slowly a leg. Feeling a little safer about the idea, he clutched Tess tight and leapt through, landing safely on the base lawn outside. Moments later, Kyle fell through the wall, just as it hardened and became cement and brick once more.

"Ouch." Kyle moaned, rubbing his butt as he got up.

Max helped him to stand. "That was pretty cool." He complimented.

They each took one of Tess' arms and ran toward the perimeter of the base. Kyle's plan had helped them get a good size head start on their enemies. They were able to make it past the fence before troops got outside. From there the Sheriff would meet them about a mile into the desert, so they just had to keep low and out of sight until then.

The sun was just breaking over the horizon. Liz was sitting inside the van, with her knees firmly tucked to her chest. She was staring into nothingness. Michael woke up and saw the girl, concerned he turned to Isabel who was watching Liz as well.

"How long has she been like that?" He asked.

Isabel shrugged. "I don't know, I woke up about an hour ago, and she hasn't moved."

"Ok… weird."

Michael scooted over to Liz and touched her shoulder. Liz suddenly blinked and snapped out of her trance. She stared at Michael with a grin on her face.

"What are you so happy about?" He asked.

She became serious. "Don't you ever get sick of it?"

"Sick of what?"

She touched his shoulder and drew his attention toward her eyes. "Of being under his control."

"No one controls me." He protested.

Liz laughed. "He controls all of us. We're sitting here, waiting for Max to bring a murderer back with him. If that's not control, I don't know what is."

Isabel's mouth gapped open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Liz trying to get Michael to turn against Max? If so, why?

"Liz, Max just wants his son back." Isabel assured them.

Michael considered them both. "Hang on a minute Isabel, Liz here has a point."

"Don't even think about it." She warned him.

It was too late. Michael got up and moved toward the driver's seat and sat down. He rested his hands on the wheel and stared out the windshield. He wanted to leave, but part of him new he couldn't do that to Max.

Seeing Michael's hesitation, Liz sat beside him in the front of the van, and encouraged him to leave. She placed a hand on his and spoke softly to him.

"If we don't leave, we'll die. Max may never come back." She said.

Isabel grabbed Liz's wrist and took it off of Michael. "Look, Liz." She said with distain. "If you have a problem with Max, and with staying here, maybe you should be the one to leave."

At this, Liz rolled down the window and let some fresh air into the van. She stared at Isabel and smiled with knowledge of something that Isabel couldn't pin point. It was like a secret she should have known, but couldn't remember.

"Don't act all high and mighty, Vilondra. You want to be the leader just as much as Michael." She snorted out in defense.

Isabel was startled by the girl's rash words. "That's not true." She insisted.

"Oh, no?"

Liz slapped a palm on Isabel's forehead. A red light passed from her hand to Isabel's head, engulfing her with a red glow. Liz took a deep breath and let every memory of her former life she had slip into Isabel's mind. She knew it would awaken her own memories, things she was sure Isabel would be horrified to know about.

Isabel's head snapped back as image after image flooded her mind. First came memories from a life Liz had lived before this one. One where she was just like them, living on Antar. Then soon, those memories reseeded and her own memories of being Vilondra began to come back. Slowly at first, but soon they were pounding into her head like nails into a coffin. She remembered everything so clearly.


	4. Chapter 4

Grabbing Liz and ripping her from Isabel to try and stop whatever was happening seemed like the only thing to do. Michael pushed past Liz into the back where Isabel sat heaving. He touched her head and felt her temperature. She felt ok, what did Liz do?

"God damn it Liz!" He yelled.

Isabel placed a calm hand on his shoulder. "Its ok, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? What happened?"

Slowly her mouth curved into an awkward smile. "I just remembered something."

She jumped up and opened the van, running out into the desert. Liz quickly followed. Leaving Michael bewildered at their actions. Running to catch up to Isabel, Liz grabbed the hybrid by the arm to stop her. She spun her around to speak with her face to face.

"You remember, don't you?" Liz asked.

She stepped closer, so close they could feel each other's breath. "I do." She said in a tone usual to Isabel.

"You killed me, bitch!" Liz slammed her hand on Isabel – trying to blast her.

Isabel didn't fly back as Liz had intended. In fact, Isabel merely stumbled back slightly, catching her balance almost immediately. She smirked with an evil twinge in her eye that gave Liz a sudden fright.

"You shouldn't have woken her up." Isabel warned, with a look of struggle on her face.

"What are you talking about?"

Isabel continued. "You have no idea what she's capable of."

"Vilondra?" Liz stepped back, frightened and nervous.

She stepped closer – her face distorting into a more calm expression, matching Liz's moves beat for beat she advanced toward the girl. "I should thank you, for giving me this gift… but, I think instead I'll kill you."

Liz screamed and tried to run, but Isabel caught her arm this time and yanked her back hard.

"You want to live this time around? I suggest you go about you business and learn from your mistakes. Any snooping around and I'll kill you all over again. Understand?" She threatened the cowering girl. "Tell no one, or I will exterminate you."

Liz nodded enthusiastically and scampered away at her first chance.

Isabel composed herself and casually walked back to the van, greeting a confused Michael.

"What's her deal?" Michael thumbed toward Liz, who was crying in the corner.

Isabel shrugged. "I don't know."

"Maybe I should go talk to her." He suggested.

She stopped him, kissing his lips teasingly. "I think we should talk… about this." She indicated her stomach which was growing quickly.

Isabel led Michael away from Liz and sat with him outside in the desert air. "It's growing, so fast." She explained, unbuckling the button on her pants to make room for her tummy, which was now a small bump.

Michael nodded, touching her stomach. "It'll be ok." He assured.

"I know."

He looked at her, confused. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing – I'm just seeing things more clearly now."

He stroked her cheek. "As long as you're ok…"

"I'm perfect." She exclaimed with a soft tone.

Rising to her feet, she drew him into a seductive kiss before entering back into the van to away her brother's return.

**Their Past Lives**

Vilondra glided toward the throne room, in her wedding robes. It was about to be the moment of change. She would rise to the throne, take control and become the leader she was always meant to be. As she moved gracefully toward the ceremony, she scanned the crowd and found Kivar waiting to make his move. Glancing a look toward him, she signaled that everything was going as planned. Rath was in front of her, as she joined him to be wed. He looked very handsome, strong and willful – but his ideals were too much like Zan's. He would never have allowed the type of control she desired – total. Only someone who despised Zan as much as she would be capable of allowing her the throne she wanted.

"You look glorious." He whispered.

Vilondra smiled lovingly at Rath. "Thank you."

Watching as Ava and Zan took their thrones, to announce the commencement of the wedding – Vilondra couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. They were after-all, her family – her kin. She saw her mother sitting along side her brother, and she knew that by this nights fall, she would be devastated; the holy man began to preach.

"We have joined here today to announce to the creator, and to the world that Vilondra of Antar, and Rath second to the King are to be wed in holy matrimony."

As the scene unfolded, Vilondra watched with quiet anticipation of the bloodbath that was about to ensue. She was nervous, like the moments before a performance – this would be the performance of her life. This night would determine her future, and the future of Antar.

Ava clutched her abdomen with her right hand, as she grabbed Zan's arm with her left. Zan touched her gently, questioning her.

"Are you ill?" He asked – the wedding still proceeding in the background.

She moaned in pain. "Something is very wrong." She insisted.

"What is it?"

Shaking her head. "Its blurry – deception is befalling us."

"Deception… from who?" He inquired.

She doubled over in pain again. "Zan…"

Vilondra was listening to the holy man continue his preachy speech, when she happened to see Ava out of the corner of her eye. She was doubled over, as she did often when she was foreseeing an aspect of the future. The king's sister shifted uncomfortably. If the Queen foresaw her betraying them, it would all be over before it could even begin. She glanced quickly at Kivar, giving him a tender – but hectic look. Letting him know right away that something could be very wrong.

"… and so now, with the power of the kingdom bestowed upon me, I pronounce you husband and-"

Just moments before their marriage was to be cemented, Rath flew back, smashing into the wall behind them. The crowd began to scream as hundreds of unmarked troops swarmed into the throne room. Rath's head had hit the wall, blood sprayed Vilondra and witnesses near by.

Vilondra craned her neck to find the source of the energy wave – it was Kivar. Zan stood up, deflecting an attack to himself and his wife. Ava was still doubled over, in severe pain and unable to protect herself. Kivar jumped from the rows where the crowd was seated, onto the stage below where the thrones and the wedding were to take place. He chuckled at the sight of people fleeing.

"Stop it!" Vilondra ordered him.

Kivar smirked. "What's the matter? Not getting your way?"

Zan looked up, seeing the exchange between Kivar and Vilondra; he knew at once that it had been his own sister who had betrayed him and allowed Kivar and his men into the palace. His wife had seen the deception – but it had come too late.

"Get out of here!" He called to his wife and mother. "I'll order the guards to escort you to the end of the palace gates."

Ava shook her head. "I'll not take a step without you." She insisted.

"Guards, take my mother to the gates end." Zan said, frustrated.

Ava took her husband's hand and stood up to rise against their attackers. "Kivar!" She cried – with her palm outstretched.

The enemy of the crown whipped around to find the king and queen, hands joined together – ready to battle him. He laughed with a crazy sound in his voice, ordering his gathering men to take the royal four to the chambers.

Ava began to cry as she watched the men drag Rath's lifeless body with them as they entered the chambers. Although dead, Rath's body held the seal of the royal four, and within that seal was a one forth of a key that unlocks the power that allows the user to rule Antar.

Inside the chambers, Ava, Zan and Vilondra were tied to bed posts. Kivar was reviewing some notes, as he stood over Rath's body like a hunter with his prey.

"It seems as though you planned to condense the army… It's a shame, you can't have a war without an army." Kivar threw the notes to the side and stepped up to Ava. "What's more important is what 'you' were about to do…" He touched her head and began to sift through her mind searching for her secret project to bring the royal four back from death, she fought him as best she could.

Ava protested. "You'll never find what you're looking for."

"Oh no?"

Intrigued by her stern sense of will, he turned his attentions to an angered king. "You know how to pick 'em, don't ya?" He said with a pathetic laugh.

"Get away from her." Zan snarled.

Kivar mocked concern, and then cocked an eye to Vilondra – gorgeous as always. "Hello my love." Vilondra turned away from him, disgusted. "Don't be mad, I lied to you – as you lied to me." He reminded, touching her belly. "You are carrying his child!" He pointed angrily at Rath's body.

Composing herself, Vilondra looked deep into Kivar's eyes. "Don't be mad, I need the child to carry the bloodline." She said.

Kivar touched her neck and cheek, kissing her. Then nodded and untied her, freeing her.

Zan grew even more infuriated. "You betrayed your family. You betrayed your people."

"I did what I had to, to get what I deserve." She explained.

Ava snorted with rage. "What you deserve is death." She spat toward Vilondra.

The spit just missed her well-polished toes, as she took a dainty step back to avoid being hit. Kivar raised an eyebrow to her, and the queen as an idea struck him.

"I agree with the queen – she always was bright."

Vilondra was mortified. "What?"

"I don't need you." He said coldly. "My men are already in control."

With that he wrapped his hands around her throat, as she violently struggled for air – he continued to squeeze. Listening to her gasp for life – as her brother and sister in law yelled for him to stop. Vilondra fell to her knees, pulling at his arms to release her. It was of no use. Her arms fell to her sides, she was dead. Kivar dropped her without much thought, in a heap on top of Rath.

Ava turned away, crying onto her husband's shoulder. Zan kissed her cheek, trying to comfort his wife.

Kivar cleared his throat and called for the guards. He stepped away from the king and queen while he instructed his men on what to do with the bodies – and how to get the royal seal. While he was away, Zan and Ava attempted an escape.

"I have my hands almost free…. There!" He whispered and untied his wife as well.

Ava nodded toward the door, where Kivar stood with his back turned. "We have to kill him, his men will back down with out him to lead them."

"Yes."

**Their Present Lives**

Flashing lights swooped into through the shadow of night. The flashes of red and blue woke Max out of a sound sleep. He sat up to find Jim standing a few feet away, shining a flashlight in his hand. Kyle was walking toward him – informing him of what had happened.

Max turned over to wake Tess. She was lying peacefully beside him. Still bruised and battered he'd not had the energy to heal her yet. He stroked her cheek, watching her eyes flutter open. She was dazed at first, but he saw recognition as she realized where she was.

"How long was I-"

He smiled. "A few hours."

"Max! Tess!" Kyle called.

"Is that… Jim?"

Max nodded. "We're going to get our son."

Tess nodded happily at that thought, and brought herself to her feet, Max helping her to walk to the Sheriff's jeep. Jim helped Tess get situated in the back, letting her lay back to rest. Then he summoned Max outside the jeep, to speak with him in private. He'd always acted as an advisor of sorts, and this was no different.

"She looks bad." He started.

Agreeing, the alien king say in an exhausted tone. "I just don't have the energy to heal her – the escape took too much."

"Max, you might want to think about taking her to a doctor." He warned.

Max glanced through the windshield at Tess as she slept. "Why?" His concern was evident.

"Well, I've seen my fair share of long-term violence victims… the purple around her eyes, and the color of her skin…"

Hurried, Max sped him up. "What is it?"

"It looks like internal bleeding – bad. If she doesn't get help soon she's going to die."

Kyle watched their lips move. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but judging by the look on Max's face when he glanced at Tess, it wasn't good. He took a moment to judge for himself Tess' condition. She looked purple and yellow; like a giant bruise. Her eyes were sunken in from dehydration and starvation. Her eyes – when open – were glassy and red around the edges. He hadn't noticed until now, but there was a chunk of skin missing from her forearm, and some needle marks scattered all over both arms, and her neck. Her fingernails had been either bent back or torn off on all ten of her fingers. All this remained as wounds even after Max had healed her enough so she could stand. God only knew what kind of pain she had been in before, and still was now. He shuddered at the thought of being locked up in some cell like that – no one even knowing you're there. The government was sick. She may have killed Alex, but Kyle was beginning to see that perhaps there was more to her story after-all; maybe she wasn't as soulless as he though. She did after all; give up her life to save them.

Max got in the back, letting Tess rest her head on his shoulder. He could feel her temperature rising against his skin – a sign of a fever, which meant she had an infection. He knew he couldn't sit there and stress or he'd never gather the energy needed to heal her. So, taking her hand in his, he leaned his hand back and decided to nap as Jim drove them to meet Isabel, Michael and Liz in the desert. His dreams would bring him no form of rest however. Violent flashes of his former life began to swirl in his head. Memories that haunted him like a ghost he could never be purged of.

Jim turned his radio on, to listen for any reports that might indicate the military's location relative to their own. Kyle stared out the window, looking up at the stars. He noticed this, and decided to speak with his son.

"You do that often?" He asked.

Kyle broke from his stare, and turned to his father. "I guess, yea."

"Why?"

His son shrugged. "Sometimes… I wonder. You know, which one is mine."

"What?"

Kyle turned away, looking at up at the sky. "Antar – I wonder where it is sometimes."

"You called it 'mine'?"

Shifting, he answered. "My powers – my alien side is so much stronger than my human side now, Dad. I don't even taste things the same, or see them the same… it weird, never mind."

"No, tell me. What do you mean you don't 'see' things the same. Max and the others never mentioned anything like that."

He nodded. "That's because they never saw the world any other way – but they… we… see things with this weird outline, everything is more defined. More clear."

"That doesn't sound bad."

Sighing, he continued. "Maybe, but with that clarity comes an overwhelming realization that I'm not human anymore. It's scary – I miss the secure feeling I had, knowing I was home, on Earth… now I don't even know where home is." He explained, looking back to the sky.

"Kyle, son, your home will always, always be with me. I love you." Jim consoled his son.

He gave his father a shy smile. "Thanks."

An hour after Isabel and Michael had fallen asleep; Liz crept out of the van. She walked about twenty yards, squatted in the sand and dirt, and held her hand over the ground. Nothing happened. Frustrated, she closed her eyes and took a long deep breathe – just as Max had taught her to do, to control her powers better.

She wanted to teach them all a lesson. Make them pay for what they had done to her – in this life and every other. Max had broken her heart, again. He'd left her for Tess, again. To top it all off, they had murdered her in her past life. How could she forgive them? How? They were fools for thinking she'd just let it roll off.

Soon a small hole in the ground began to open, as she used her powers to manipulate the earth. When the opening was big enough to put her arm in, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the alien orb with the symbol of Antar on it. Liz tossed it into the hole and smirked as she closed it back up. Now that she remembered exactly what those orbs where capable of, she knew how to use them – better yet she could keep the others from using them. Vilondra… er, Isabel might think she's won, but as far as Liz was concerned that was far from the case. She would keep up her dainty, broken appearance so Isabel wouldn't figure things out. Then, she'd pick up where Kesia left off all those years ago…

Just as Liz was approaching the van again, car lights beamed at her from behind. She turned to find the sheriff's jeep coming toward them slowly. It pulled to a stop. Liz froze. Max was back, already? She opened the van and called inside to let Michael and Isabel know. The three remained at a distance – watching.

Kyle hopped out and rushed his way to the back seat, opening the door to let Max out. He was carrying Tess – who looked more like a shredded piece of meat than a person. Michael at this point ran to help, seeing Max was tired. Isabel appeared irritated by his act of humanity toward the traitor, Tess. Liz simply watched, not willing to help, but not without understanding either.

"Get her… do you have her?" Max asked, transferring Tess from his arms to Michael's.

Michael nodded. "Yea… yes… hey, let go." He said taking her from him.

"Lay her down… over there." Max pointed to a spot on the ground.

He did as Max told him. Michael had never seen someone look this beaten before. He wondered why Max hadn't healed her yet. Her skin was fire-hot, and her eyes were puffy. She looked like she was dying.

"Is she going to die?" Michael asked, bluntly.

Max glared. "No."

"Right…" He said with an unsure tone. "Maxwell…" He droned, indicated her current state. "She looks like death."

Michael was right. Tess did look like death. In fact, Liz had never seen someone look quiet that torn up. She had to have some serious injuries. Why hadn't Max healed her? She watched with mixed feelings of loathing and concern, as Max, Kyle, Jim and Michael worked to set bones, and patch up the ailing alien.

"Max, heal her." Jim said. "Her fever is higher than Isabel's was when she got shot… I can barely touch her – it burns."

Kyle agreed. "This is bad."

"Why haven't you healed her yet, anyway?" Michael wondered.

The alien king couldn't take all of them barking at him, again and again. Finally he snapped, grabbing Michael by the shirt and dragging him down to the ground where Max sat next to Tess.

"Don't you think I would've healed her, if I could?"

Michael was baffled. "What's that mean?"

"I tried, but I need more energy – I just don't have it in me. The injuries… these wounds…" He said, lifting her shirt to reveal a large wound on her side. "They're worse than anything I've ever healed before. Ok?" He gasped for a breath. "I had to use my powers to get us out of the base; it took a lot out of me."

Just as Max was about to let into Michael again, a small, wispy voice called out to him. It was Tess.

"… Max… stop."

Letting go of Michael, he said. "Tess?"

"Don't fight..."

He took her hand and nodded. "I'm sorry… I just… I'm frustrated."

"It'll be ok." Tess assured him, and then slipped back into unconsciousness.

Max sighed. He stood up and ran his fingers through his hair. "If she hadn't used her powers to help us escape, her immunity to infections would have been higher… but now that she's tapped her body is collapsing."

"If she hadn't used her powers, we'd be dead right now." Kyle reminded.

Isabel raised her arms in frustration, and let them fall loudly at her sides. "Who cares… she's better off dead." She muttered before turning around and slamming the van door behind her. Michael followed her – seeing his queue to leave this sticky situation.

Jim and Kyle walked to the side, talking about strategies in which to get them safely out of Roswell – now that the military was out to find them, there would probably be check points lined up – just waiting for them to leave.

Liz gulped back her fears and approached Max, who was sitting with Tess on the ground. She squatted near the sleeping alien and for a moment took pity upon her. She had, after all – given up so much to try and save them, a group of people who wished her dead. Perhaps Tess had been misunderstood. Max had married her in a past life – so there had to be something good about her, right? What am I thinking? Liz yelled at herself for being so conflicted. She had plans, and they deserved what they would get.

"What's wrong?" Max asked, genuinely concerned.

Liz shrugged. "I'm just confused."

"About?"

She sighed. "You… her… this whole mess."

"It's confusing."

She continued. "Like, I want to understand why you're doing this to me, again – and then I remember Ava, and Zan – and what kind of people they were, and how they were together. When I think about that, I realize that what you two shared, is exactly what I thought we shared. At the same time, I really just want to let her lie here – and die. I just want it, more then I thought I would. That scares me. It scares me that something that dark can be inside me."

"We all have darkness, Liz. We all have demons, and things about ourselves that we struggle to cope with, or understand. I love you, Liz. I do. If things were different…" He began.

She interrupted. "If things were different, you would have chosen me… I know, I get it. Things are never different with you, are they? They're always the same. You lead me on, and you break my heart. Again, and again… and again."

"I never meant to-"

Liz snapped. "But you did – you always do."

"Liz…" He reached out to touch her cheek.

She pulled away. "Don't do that. You can sit here, holding her hand, and think its ok to touch me. You just can't."

"You know… you and Tess are similar."

She gave a disgusted look. "Right…"

"You are. You both tap into this super-emotional state where the whole world seems wrapped up in your heart. You're both smart, and funny… and strong." Annoyed, Liz starts to walk away. "Liz, I married you because my soul-mate is you!" She stopped, turning to listen. "What you see… what you hear. This isn't how I look, or how I sound. Somewhere, a long time ago some other guy owned my face, had this human soul. That human soul loves you with every inch of its being."

"But?" She whimpered.

"But I'm not human." He breathed. "Inside… Where I start… I'm not that guy."

"You could be that guy. If you wanted to be." She suggested, weakly.

He gave her a meek smile. "But then I'd never be whole. With Tess I can be myself – my whole self. Good, bad, alien, human. None of that matters. With Tess I can be a father, and a king, and…" He trailed off.

Liz began to cry. "And with me you can't." She ran off to cry alone.

Inside the van, Isabel grew tired of these games she was playing with Michael. She wanted him to either side with her to overthrow Max, or to rid herself of him if he sided against her. He was lying down in the back of the van, with his arms under his head. She scooted against him, and placed her hand in his. He turned to look at her, and smiled. She concocted a smile in return.

"How ya feeling?" He asked gently, touching her belly.

Isabel sighed. "Alright, could be better."

"I know, I think we all could." He suggested, mildly pointing toward Liz, who was once again crying in the passenger's seat.

She grew serious and pulled herself close to him. "Michael…" She started.

The sound in her voice was deep, and somewhat cold. His ears perked, as he knew this must be important. He sat slightly, leaning into her, so she could whisper more easily.

"I don't trust Max…" She began again.

His eyes widened. "Why?"

"I think He and Tess plan to take off, without us."

He jolted a bit, and snapped his head to the window, straining to see Max outside. "What makes you think that?"

She could tell by the sound in his voice that he was already uneasy about Max and Tess. Having him this close to turning against her brother meant that she had to be very careful, as not to spook him into figuring anything out.

"I dream-walked him, and he was dreaming of taking off to Antar without us. He plans to betray us!" Her voice writhed with venom.

Michael was surprised. "I can't believe that. Maybe it was a nightmare… or something." He was beginning to waver,

"No Michael. It was a happy, fulfilled dream. Max doesn't want us around anymore. Tess has clouded his judgment."

Watching as the idea was planted in his mind, Isabel took comfort in the notion that now she had her partner. Besides, if everything went to hell she was going to kill him anyway. She laid her head down beside him, and with a smile spread across her face, she went to sleep.

In the passenger's seat, Liz reminisced about her former life. Like a doorway that could not be shut once opened, her memories as Kesia were permanent fixtures against her life as Liz Parker.

**Their Past Lives**

"You're highness."

Zan turned to find Kesia majestically set upon Vilondra's throne. "You're lucky my sister isn't here to see this."

"Where is the princess?"

He stepped closer, noticing her deep V-neck dress. "She's with the queen and Rath. They're at a ceremony to open the new city square." He smirked, running his hands on the sides of her hips.

"My lord…" She breathed, placing his hands on her chest.

He began to pull away. "I shouldn't…"


	5. Chapter 5

"Why?" She asked, pulling him closer.

He pushed away slightly. "My wife. I love her."

"You love me."

Saying this, she placed a hand on his neck. A red light swept from her fingers into his skin, and ran up into his scalp before disappearing beneath. Zan stumbled back, shaking his head slightly confused. He blinked hard. When he opened his eyes, suddenly Kesia looked more beautiful then he'd ever seen her look before. She had captivated him.

Without another word, he leaned into her, kissing her lips hard, running his mouth down her neck. She arched her head, her eyes rolling back with a feeling of ecstasy. A small smirk crawled up over her lips, as she clutched a handful of his hair in her hands.

"Zan… oh Zan…" She moaned.

He pulled away, trying to fight whatever the force was that held him to her. He couldn't, just as soon as their lips parted, he found himself drawn against her yet again.

"No… no, no." With each mutter his protests became weaker, as if his very will was slowly dying.

Later, Kesia walked the halls of the palace without Zan. She looked around, carefully slipping into a room, shutting the door behind her. Inside were Kivar and Vilondra. They had clearly been enjoying one another - physically.

"It's done." She said quietly.

Vilondra drew in a small smile. "Very good."

"You've done well. How long until you're in complete control." Kivar asked.

Kesia considered. "Hours, a day at most."

"Terrific. When you've finished, make sure to tell him to summon the court." Vilondra instructed.

The girl nodded. "Yes ma'am."

She left, leaving Vilondra and Kivar to speculate on their own.

"I'm having one of my men follow her. The first move she makes to betray us, we'll know." Vilondra kissed him.

Kivar was impressed. "How do you know she'll betray us?"

"Because, the silly git believes my brother truly loves her now."

He stroked her hair. "Why bother with this, if you're only going to kill her anyway?"

"She knows about our plan. We can't have any strings left hanging. Besides, shaking up the connection Zan and Ava share will weaken them. Even if they get back together, which I'm sure they will. Their full power together will be diminished for some time."

This time Kivar kissed her, and said. "You have this whole thing planned like a dinner party… to the T."

Vilondra gave him a dry, almost evil look. She stood up and moved to the large bay window, with long flowing curtains. Looking out of it, she watched Zan and Ava meet in the garden.

"I've been planning this since I was a child. Nothing will stop me from being queen. Nothing."

Outside the room Kesia had over-heard the princess and Kivar speaking of their plans to kill her. Infuriated by their betrayal, she backed up. In an effort to get away quickly, she slipped and knocked over a large floor vase.

Immediately Vilondra and Kivar came running out. Realizing the girl knew of their entire plan, Vilondra had no choice but to step up their termination of her. She smiled, pretending to know nothing of the eavesdropping, and let Kesia escape. Knowing full-well that the girl would not have the chance to explain things to Zan, until it was too late.

"What do we do?" Kivar asked aloud.

The princess smiled fondly, watching Kesia walk briskly down the hall. "We tell Zan."

Being the king's sister, meant she could have an audience with him at any time, whenever she wanted. So, she called the royal four into the throne room for an emergency meeting.

"What's this all about?" Ava asked, as she and Zan sat in their thrones.

Vilondra stood before them, seemingly upset. "Brother, I have some grave news. One of our guards has informed me that a courtier tried to bribe him into betraying you."

"What?" Ava was outraged.

Zan patted her hand, calming her. "Who is this courtier?" He asked.

The princess shook her head, as if in disbelief. "Kesia."

Zan was visibly disturbed. He sat back, astounded – and somewhat relieved. It'd been hours since he saw Kesia, and her hold upon him had all but vanished. He realized now what had happened, and he was enraged.

"I'll have the guards pick her up at once." Rath said, about to call the guards.

Zan stopped him. "No!"

Holding her breath, Vilondra hoped he wasn't about to go soft. "My brother, I-"

The king interrupted her. "If we do that, she's sure to know. I'll arrange a meeting with her, we'll call the guards in then. Not before."

"I agree. If she has informants in the palace, they'll tell her of our plans. She must not be aware of our knowledge." Ava concurred with her husband.

Vilondra watched with a satisfied look, as Zan entered the second to last door of the main hall, and walked inside – closing the door behind him. She could hear them speaking inside.

"Not now, Kesia, I told you." Zan sounded irritated.

Kesia answered. "You know, you would be happy with me."

"Happy – and empty." He concluded. "I'm sorry." He said at last.

Confused sounding, Kesia said. "For, breaking my heart?"

"No." He took a pause, and then yelled. "Guards!"

Vilondra nodded, allowing a wave of guards to sweep into the room and grab Kesia by the arms, forcibly dragging her out – kicking and screaming.

"You can't do this! I didn't do anything! Stop!" She cried.

The princess walked with the guards, a head of her brother. Who walked out of the room, and met up with Ava as he neared the end of the hall. She embraced him with open arms. Clearly their power had not been weakened. Vilondra cringed as she spotted him kissing her cheek. Their hands clasped as they followed the trail of guards into the throne room; where a battered and beaten Kesia awaited her sentence. Vilondra, of course, already knew the punishment of treason – Death. With a chuckle under her breath, she sat herself down beside her brother.

She entered into the large damp chamber, as Kesia was being lowered on a metal table.

"Lonnie, please – I beg of you…" She whimpered.

Annoyed by the girl's common use of her nickname, she leaned over the table, resting her hand on the metal right by Kesia's arm. Brining her face close enough to hers to feel each other's breath, she spoke softly. Once her message to the girl had been said, she stepped back. Kesia was crying, but she didn't care. She ordered the guards to begin the machine that hung above the metal table. Watching, with a please expression – Vilondra saw to Kesia's termination. When it was finished a guard approached her.

"Princess?" He stopped her before she could leave the chamber. "What would you like us to do with the body?"

Vilondra looked carelessly at the corpse and waved it away. "I don't care; just make sure there's nothing left."

"Yes, your royal highness." He nodded, leaving to do as she asked.

**Their Present Lives**

"Hold still, ok?" Max soothed, as he ran his healing hands again over Tess' battered body.

She moaned. "It hurts."

"I know." He wanted to tear up, but he fought the rising lump in his throat.

She struggled against the pain. "Ahhh!" She cried.

Max could hear bones snapping into place. He could feel muscles mending, skin reforming. His healing was working. It was just taking so long. Her internal injuries were causing a lot of pain, and the fact that there were so many wounds made it hard for Max to truly concentrate on just one.

"Wait… sit still." Max pleaded, as Tess jolted around, in reflex to the immense pain of her bones being reset into place.

She shook her head, desperate for the pain to stop. She clutched at his sleeve, as hot tears fell to the ground beneath. "No, stop, stop, no, God… please!" She begged, wailing around.

Max turned behind him, yelling for Jim who was watching with discomfort. "Hold her!" He ordered.

The sheriff did as he was told. "Does it normally hurt this much?" He asked, seeing Tess' obvious pain.

The alien king grew grim. "No." He said, as his glowing hands moved to her ribs.

"Then why…" Jim wondered.

Max breathed a sigh. "Every inch of her body has been wounded. It's not like when I healed Kyle or Liz. That was one single wound. I could concentrate better, and keep them from feeling the pain of healing – but I can't here or I won't have enough energy to finish."

Finally, after what seemed like hours; but was more likely only minutes, Max's glowing hands dimmed and Tess' moans subsided. Her arched back relaxed, and she fell flat once more, unconscious – for now.

Liz slipped out of the van, and recovered the hidden orb, as Max finished healing Tess. She stuffed it in her coat pocket and got back into the passenger seat. Smiling to herself as she realized they never even saw her.

"Is she going to be ok?" Jim asked, looking at the girl sleeping.

Max wiped his forehead and nodded. "She's going to be fine." He assured, touching her face with his hand.

The sheriff nodded, and walked to his jeep to answer a radio call.

The alien king lifted his queen from the ground and carried her to the van. Opening the door he realized there was no room for another sleeping body. Isabel and Michael were already asleep in the back, and Liz had nodded off in the front. Kyle was with his father, talking outside. Max sighed, slipping Tess into the middle row, letting her have the remaining seat. He shut the door and walked to Kyle and Jim.

"What's going on?" He inquired.

Jim looked grimly at him. "I just got a call on my radio…" He began.

"Max, they're sending troops all over the place to find us." Kyle explained quickly.

With no time for rest, Max wearily dragged himself back to the van, and got into the front seat. As the engine started, he saw Kyle give his father a long goodbye hug, before darting into the van, and squeezing himself next to a sleeping Tess. The roar of the engine momentarily woke Michael and Isabel, who stirred, but fell restfully back asleep.

Liz opened her eyes, seeing a skyline with moving stars she knew they had gotten back on the road. Glancing back, she shuddered seeing Tess sleeping peacefully – healed and looking like herself again. She turned to Max, and saw his tired eyes focusing on the road ahead.

"Where are we going?" She asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

He scratched the back of his neck. "Out of the state, New York."

"We can't run forever." Liz reminded him.

He nodded sadly. "I don't plan to run forever, Liz. I plan to get my son, and get you all to safety, and then…"

"What's that mean?"

He refused to say anymore. Liz feared he meant to leave them once they were safe. Didn't he know they would never be safe? Not on Earth, not ever. She crossed her arms, upset with his closed-mouth. She stared quietly out of the window, as they drove into the never-ending horizon.

An hour of silence went by, and then Liz couldn't take it anymore. She turned to Max again, and spoke.

"We have to go to Antar. That's the only way we'll be safe."

He didn't disagree. "I know."

"So, what are we going to do?"

He sighed rubbing his face to wake himself. "I said I'd get you all to safety."

"What does that mean?"

Grinding his teeth, he answered. "I have a plan. Okay?"

Liz looked away, annoyed.

But he didn't have a plan. Max knew their only way home was in LA, with a broken, busted up ship that last time he checked, couldn't make it off the ground. Langley, their other protector had vowed to never help him again. Max would force him to help them, even if it killed him. First he'd have to get his son, which was going to be a whole other mess. He knew he was sent to New York to be adopted, and once there he'd have to contact his father to get the address.

It was early in the morning, Kyle opened his eyes to find himself slouching against Tess, who was awake, and smirking. At first he didn't know why, until he looked down to find his pants had been pulled down around his knees. Her grin of mischief gave her away as she giggled under her breath. He snatched his pants up in a hurry, blushing.

"Oh… very funny!" He rolled his eyes, but couldn't help letting a small smirk pass over him.

Tess teasingly pushed him. "C'mon Buddha boy, can't take a joke?"

"Some joke…" He muttered.

He looked behind him to find Isabel and Michael still fast asleep. Isabel's stomach jutted out a bit more than when he had last seen her. He wiped his eyes and looked to the front of the van. Max was still driving, looked utterly wiped. Liz was asleep, with her head leaned against the window.

"Hey man, let me take over for you." Kyle insisted.

Max pulled over, too tired to disagree. "We're heading to New York."

"Alrighty, where are we exactly?" He asked, looking around for a sign.

The alien king, pulled out a map, and pointed to a spot about halfway between New Mexico and New York. "There."

"Great…" Kyle sighed, jumping into the driver's seat.

Tess watched Max climb into the back seat next to her. She tensed up, feeling nervous. Liz was sitting only inches away, this was bound to get a little uncomfortable. She just thanked her lucky stars that the girl was still sleeping.

"You should take a nap." She suggested.

Max rubbed his weary, dry eyes. "I just can't sleep – too much on my mind."

The alien queen smiled gently, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He stared at her, sharing each other's warm look for a moment.

"Just put your head back and try. It'll come." She assured him.

He nodded, leaning his head back against the seat. Soon he felt his eye-lids get heavy, and he knew she had been right. Sleep was not far off; he could feel the pull of dreams taking him. Noises from reality began to slip into the background as he drifted into unconsciousness.

He'd slept for about ten minutes, before his head fell against her shoulder. Tess leaned back, letting Max take a more comfortable position. She could feel the rise and fall of each breath, the beat of his heart against her. It was like a familiar, warm feeling that covered them, wrapping them up tight. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Not to sleep, but to focus in on his heart beat – the sound comforted her. She remembered so many nights where she'd lay her head upon his chest and fall into a deep slumber. This time it was he who had fallen asleep on her. She'd missed him. He'd not only been her husband, but he'd been her best friend. The world had seemed so lonely and cold without him – like a world void of normalcy. As he slept, subconsciously he had taken her hand into his, she didn't object. There they sat, hand in hand, as he dozed off – resting against her.

"Max… Max… wake-up Max." A soft, wispy voiced called out to him from beyond his dreamy reality.

He opened his eyes, and was greeted by Tess' blue gems staring down at him. Rubbing his face vigorously, he yawned. "How long did I sleep for?"

"The whole damn trip." Kyle grunted, hopping out of the van.

Max was astonished that he'd slept that long. It must've been almost twelve hours left when he let Kyle take over driving. How did he manage to stay asleep that long? He looked to his lap and found that during his sleep, he had taken Tess' hand in his – their hands were intertwined. By the stiff feeling in his fingers, they must have been like that for a long time. He wondered why she didn't let go sooner. She smiled kindly at him, and he returned the favor. They held each other's eyes a moment, before realizing that everyone else had gotten out of the van minutes ago.

"I have top vomit." Isabel muttered under her breath.

Michael gave a disgusted look as she dragged him with her to the other side of the parking lot they were in. "What do you need me for?"

Tess gave Isabel an odd look, but quickly turned her attention to Max who was pulling out his cell phone. He dialed a number, and listened.

"Dad… hey…" He walked off and talked.

Liz stared at Tess. She remembered their last conversation, just before Tess left the car to die. She shuddered. That whore had lied the entire time, that hussy. She swallowed back her rage and stepped up to the alien queen.

"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

Tess looked at her, confused. "What?"

"Why did you tell me that Max cares for me?"

She shook her head. "Because he does."

"Not enough…"

She crossed her arms and swung herself closer. "You love Max… but that guy…" She pointed to Max who was still talking on his cell. "That guy isn't Max… that's a creation, a mixture of two people. You have to understand… That guy isn't ever going to be who you want him to be."

"God, you sound like his echo."

Liz stormed off to join Kyle. He was checking the Van's engine over, and giving it some fresh oil. She leaned against the edge of the vehicle and sighed, not really loud, but loud enough to get his attention.

"Yes, Liz?" he asked, peeking up from the engine.

She glanced over her shoulder at Tess who was standing by Max, talking on the cell. "Ever get this nagging feeling that maybe things will just never go the way you want?"

"Every moment of my life. Why do you ask?"

She turned to him. "Kyle, me and you, we should leave."

"What? No, we can't." He began to fix the engine again.

She grabbed his arm lightly. "Please, I can't stand this anymore."

"And you think I can? I'm the one that's been forced to tag along! But I'm stuck here now, and so are you." He grunted.

Frustrated by her lack of sway over the boy, Liz turned away from him – her powers inadvertently causing some sparks to fly on the engine. Kyle leapt out of the way as green energy came flying at him in spit and sparks like fire.

Cleaning out her mouth with some water, Isabel stood up and fixed her shirt. Her clothes were slightly skewed from being bent over and vomiting. She began to mutter under her breath.

"Damn this baby.. I swear to…"

Michael turned in. "What's that?"

"Nothing, nothing…" Isabel took him by the arm as they walked back to the others.

He tucked his hand in her pants pocket. "You know, I was thinking about what you said the other night."

"Oh yea?"

He nodded. "Yea."

"And..?"

There was a pause. "About Max wanting to take off without us." He took a small breath. "I think you might be right. I mean, him and Tess and now they're getting their son… it's all too perfect. Why now? Why not when we have a way home… unless he already does."

"You think he's keeping us in the dark about his plan to get off the planet?"

Michael shook his head in agreement. "I think he might."

Meanwhile, Max was getting much needed information from his father. Tess was standing near by, with her head tilted toward the phone, in an attempt to hear bits and pieces about her son.

"Okay, yea, I hear you… yea." Max stated.

Tess leaned in. "What is it? How's my baby? Is he ok?"

"Alright, yes."

She tried to get closer. "How's he been eating? Has he gained a lot of weight?"

Max gently swatted her away. Pressing the phone against his ear and shoulder; he wrote some things down on a small post-it note. Saying his goodbyes, Max flipped his cell shut and headed back to the van to update everyone. Tess followed closely, practically jumping with anticipation.

"Tell me, tell me everything!" Tess exclaimed with a huge, bright smile. "When do we get my baby back?"

Isabel scoffed at her geeky smile. "God… like a cheerleader at a game."

"Hey, maybe when you push that freak of nature out, you'll be a little more enthused!" Tess snapped, pointing to Isabel's tummy.

The alien princess was surprised. "How'd you know about that."

"Oh… I know a lot." She squinted knowingly at her, making Isabel shift uncomfortably.

Max cleared his throat. "Please, stop. Tess and I are going today. The thing is…"

"What is it, another special ops mission?" Kyle winked.

The king shook his head. "No. We have to steal him, because of the circumstances for the adoption… there's no paper work that says I'm Zan's father… plus, according to all known papers of Tess, she's dead."

Tess gave a small laugh and shrugged innocently. "So how is this going to work?"

"Let me guess." Liz sounded annoyed. "This is where it gets 'complicated' or 'risky'."

The king raised his eye brows in curiosity. "Um, no… actually, it's simple. Tess and I will go into the couple's home as Adoptive services doing a random check-up."

"Great, let's go!" Tess was too excited to wait any longer, she was already sitting in the passenger's seat, strapped in and ready to go.

Max rubbed his hands together as he jogged to the van, equally excited. The others dragged themselves back, each having their own concerns, and each plotting against the unwitting king and queen. Off they went, to get the only heir to the throne of Antar.

It was a silent drive into the suburbs of New York. The only talk had been that of Tess and Max, discussing what their son would look like, or if he would remember either of them – that being Tess' main concern.

Max assured her. "He will."

"How do you know?"

He cleared his throat. "Because, just before I gave him away – I implanted a memory into his subconscious. It was a memory of me and you in Michael's apartment."

"Wow… I don't know what to say…"

He smiled at her as they drove into a residential area. "You don't have to say anything Tess. Even though I was mad at you, you were still his mother – and I couldn't let him forget that."

Liz let out an annoyed groan. "Anyone else feel sick?"

Isabel tried not to laugh. "Car sick?" She asked.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Yea, sure."

They pulled the van up to the side of a home. Max and Tess climbed out. They hide beside the van for a moment, using their powers to change their clothes into suits. Tess pulled up her hair, as Max waved his hand over the side of the van – created an adoption services logo. They marched to the house with a dutiful step in their strides. Making it look like this was all business to them.

Tess knocked on the door. She could hear the sound of a vacuum. There was no answer. Max rang the doorbell. They both shifted with anticipation. Suddenly the vacuum shut off. A woman's voice screamed out in horror. Tess and Max stiffened, every muscle on the bodies tightened in fight. They could hear an argument inside.

A woman yelled. "Jake… no! Robert, it's happening again!"

"Look out!" A man cried.

There was a thunderous crash, something broke, and the sound of people falling could be heard. At that, Max and Tess broke open the door. It swung from the hinges and fell to the ground. They stepped through the threshold to find a woman in her thirties sprawled out on the floor. A man was helping her to stand. A vacuum was only a few feet from them – it was smoking and sparking.

"What's going on here?" Tess' tone was threatening.

The woman stuttered. "N-nothing."

"Who the hell are you?" The man yelled.

Max stepped up. "We're from adoption services. We're here on a random check-up. We heard screams, thought there was trouble." He paused, seeing the vacuum again. "Is there?"

The woman smoothed out her dress and dusted herself off. She gave a weak attempt at a smile, as she attended to the vacuum; pulling its cord from the wall.

"My wife doesn't want you guys to know… but…" The man was hesitant.

Tess placed a hand on her hip. "Know what?"

"Our son… Jake… there's something about him…"

As the man began to describe what had been happening with 'Jake'. Tess and Max looked at one another. It was Zan. Max interrupted the man.

"May we see him?" He asked; in a matter-of-factly tone.

At that, the woman glared at her husband, but reluctantly went to retrieve the child. After a moment, she came in carrying the little one. Tess' breath was stolen from her – as her eyes lay upon her child for the first time in months. He'd grown so much. Max squeezed her shoulder, a silent reminder to keep her cool.

"This is Jake." She explained softly. "He's…"

"Almost a year." Tess blurted out.

The woman nodded, a little shocked. "How'd you know?"

"We read his file." Max covered.

"Well, I'm Robert and that's Jill; but you all knew that…" Robert seemed nervous.


	6. Chapter 6

Jill hesitantly gave 'Jake' to Tess, who bobbed him up and down instinctively on her hip. She cooed at him and smelled his hair. The couple watched her curiously.

"That's amazing… Jake hates strangers… it took him almost a month to let me do that." Jill said with astonishment.

Max stepped in front of Tess and the baby and escorted them into the next room.

"She has to make her evaluation alone with the child." He explained, motioning them to sit down at their table.

Robert ran his hands through his hair. "So what's going to happen… now that you guys know about this weird… stuff."

"Please don't take our son away." Jill begged Max, placing a hand on his forearm.

Max pulled away. "The fact of the matter is that in cases like this, where adoptive parents make claims against their children – it is standard procedure to remove the child from the home, until we determine what the truth of the matter is." Robert and Jill looked crushed. Max continued. "You say he blew up your vacuum, and melted your tea pot?"

Jill nodded. "That's right. And the other day he made the kitchen table… it flew across the room." She said lowly.

The alien king concealed his laughter with a sorrowful grunt. "Well, until we determine the truth of these claims, we'll be forced to-"

Before his could finish his sentence, Jill jumped up and ran into the kitchen, coming back with a melted tea pot in her arms. She slammed it down on the table, panting. Her hands were shaking, and her eyes were red from crying. She looked to Max with desperation plastered on her face,

"Look at this… look at it. This is what he did. He did it." She exclaimed quietly.

Max studied the tea pot and feigned interest. "Ma'am – with all due respect, this could have been done with a hot iron or something…" He trailed off.

It was clearly the smudged handprint of a child that had been melted into the face of this metal tea pot, but Max had to keep this quiet. He set the kettle down and stood up, moving to get back to Tess.

"Sir, no… please, sir wait!" Jill begged, running after him.

Robert stopped his wife; clearly he was not as interested in keeping this devil child.

"Let's go." Max said to Tess.

Tess nodded, turning to the couple. "Is there anything you'd like him to take? Like, a stuffed animal or some clothing?"

Jill crumbled to the floor, sobbing. Robert patted his wife's back for a moment, and then looked up into Tess' eyes. He nodded and asked her to follow him. Tess did, carrying Zan with her. When they were in the nursery, away from his wife; he began to pack up several bags for the baby. As he did, he started to speak frankly with Tess.

"I know you're not from adoption services." He said flatly.

He studied the way she was with this fussy baby. The child seemed utterly calm with her; unlike he'd been with either himself or Jill.

"You're Jake's mother, aren't you?" He asked.

Tess did know what to say. "What?"

"It's ok. I'm not going to stop you. That boy is special… but you already knew that, didn't you?" His question was rhetorical.

Tess slowly nodded – admitting the truth to this man. "Our son is very special."

"I know. I knew it the day I saw him… there was something about his eyes, they weren't… don't take this the wrong way, but they weren't human."

Tess stroked her son's head. "Not everyone will understand that he's special. Please, keep this to yourself."

The man nodded. "You have my word."

"Thank you."

As the door closed behind them, both parents sighed a long breath of relief. They had their baby back. Max stroked Zan's head as Tess carried him to the van. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Max, thank you." She said tearfully. "I never thought I'd see him again."

Isabel ground her teeth together. That kid was going to cause all kinds of problems. Crammed in the vehicle like sardines, Isabel groaned with an annoyed tone. Michael gave a concerned look after seeing the kid. Liz also sighed, leaving only Kyle slightly enthused. He held the baby's hand a moment, and smiled at him, making him giggle. Tess kissed her sweet boy again and again.

As the sun set, Max pulled the van into a motel parking lot. The gang jumped out. Tess carried Zan, who was sleeping soundly in her arms. Liz looked to Isabel, knowingly. She wanted to talk. Isabel nodded, and they walked to the farther corner of the parking lot as the others went into the office to get some rooms.

"What do you want?" Isabel demanded, crossing her arms.

Liz sighed. "We both want the same thing."

"Oh? And what's that?" She asked, towering over the girl.

The small brunette shifted uncomfortably. "You want the kid out of the way, to become Queen, and I want to make sure they suffer." She pointed to the office.

"So, what? Are you suggesting we work together?" The blonde alien bombshell rolled her eyes.

She nodded. "With both of us, I think we can get what we want."

"What did you have in mind?" Isabel asked

The young girl stepped back and sighed. She stared into the window of the motel office, and ground her teeth at the sight of Tess and that Child.

"We kill Tess and kidnap the kid, use Michael to keep Max off the track until we get where we need to be. Then, when he draw him in, we kill his kid, and destroy the crown. Max won't want to go back to Antar without his family. You'll get the throne, and become Queen."

Isabel smiled. "So, what's in it for you?"

"I get Max to myself. In the aftermath of their deaths, I'll comfort him, make him remember what we had. I've always known to how manipulate his feelings. That has not changed."

The alien princess smirked. "I got to hand it to you Liz, you thought this out."

"Well, I've got plenty to motivate me."

The girls nodded at one another, and started their way back to the motel, to join the group as they separated into their room. Liz went with Kyle, Isabel and Michael walked into their room hand-in-hand, as Tess accompanied Max to the final room.

"They don't want me here." Tess began.

Max watched his wife set their son on the bed, and gently stroke his head to calm him into a sleep. He wondered, if things never got better – would he care? He had everything he'd wanted, and all that he longed for was now here. Even on the run, in danger and paranoid – he felt at ease.

"Are you listening, Max?" Her voice shared a tender tone, with a whisper of annoyance.

He shook the thoughts from his head, and nodded. "Yea." He took a breath. "They'll come around, I'm sure." He smiled.

They laid on the bed – with the child between them. For the first time ever, Max, Tess and Zan were a family. Not just in blood, but for real. He snuggled his son, and held his wife close. They were home – even if home was never to be seen again.

**Their Past lives**

"Come on Zan, stop it!" A young Vilondra jumps eagerly to reach a doll her younger brother held from her.

The boy laughs. "Come and get it!" He taunted.

"Just give me it!" She wails.

Zan shook his head. "No way, if you want it – work for it."

Vilondra took a step back, and studied the scene. Zan was taller, stronger – although he was younger – how could she get it from him? Then an idea hit her – steal it through force. Yes! That's it, take it!

"That's… mine!" She cried.

The young princess jumped on top of her younger brother, knocking him to the ground. He hit the floor and dropped her doll. Undaunted by their fall, she whisked the doll from the ground, and ran off to play – laughing.

"Vilondra!" Their mother yelled. "Did I just see you hit your brother?"

Vilondra smiled wickedly. "Yes, and I'd do it again." She said smugly.

"What? Why on Antar would you do that?"

She grinned. "Because, if you want something you have to work for it..."

"That's true, but you need not take it by force, there are other ways. Use your words." Her mother explained softly.

The princess stopped. "What if what you really want, you can't take with words?"

"And what is it that you really want my daughter?"

Shyly, she said. "To be ruler of Antar."

"But that role is destined to be your brothers." She explained. "You must forge your own destiny."

"I don't want to. I want to rule. How come he gets to be ruler, when I was born first?" She asked, on the verge of a temper tantrum.

The Queen, and mother of the future King touched her daughters cheek and smiled. "Don't you see? Lonnie, it matters not your age. Rulers are not born first, or second – they are simply, born. Your brother is to be King, that is how it must be."

Vilondra shook her head in anger. "Then I will change destiny. I will change fate."

"Oh no! No, my child. Those who disturb fate are cursed to an eternity of unhappiness. Please, my girl – for the goodness of your soul, put these thoughts from you head. In time you will come to realize that you, you have much to offer; and a destiny as rich and full as your brother's – perhaps more so. You see, unlike you, Zan has no choice in his fate – it's to be ruler, whether or not he wishes it. You get to choose your own path – that is a gift not many people get. Respect what the Gods give you, and love yourself."

However, Vilondra never took the words of her mother to heart. She grew up resenting her brother for the power that had been bestowed upon him, for his chance to rule their world. She hated him for it. Her hatred, unknown to her – would be her undoing.

**Their present Lives**

The motel rooms never seemed so cold. Isabel wiped a tear from her eye, avoiding a momentary lapse in emotion. As she stood silently over the bed of brother, she knew what she had to do. She had to. She had to. She had to. Do it. Do it now. Now. Now. Now. Do it.

Her arms raised into the air, a weapon far above her head. She could hear her own heart beating, faster, and faster. Sweat beaded on her forehead, as her palm tightened around a long silver pipe. It was dirty with rust.

Rain pelted against the window. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Her heart pounded. Thump, thump. The pipe rises higher and higher. Thump, thump. Higher and higher. Thump. Her arms began to make their way back down. Thump. The pipe struck the queen's head. Thump, thump. Again, strike her again! Thump, thump. The cold metal bashed Tess again. Again, do it again! Thump, thump. Soon Isabel found herself in a frenzy – bashing the young girl over and over; hitting her as hard as she could. Blood sprayed everything, her clothes, the wall, the floor. Her bare feet were soggy in a puddle of blood. Heaving, the pipe dropped.

Isabel stepped back, and looked upon the evil she had done. Tess was dead, she was gone. Suddenly, Max sat up – having slept through his wife's murder – "Watch out, hey, watch out." He said. "Izzy, c'mon on. Watch out!"

Frightened by what was happening, Isabel ran out into the rain. The wet parking lot gave way to an endless dark abyss.

Michael shook Isabel again. "Izzy, wake up!"

Her arms were flailing about, as if she was hitting someone. "Do it, again. Hit her again!"

"Watch it, c'mon Izzy – wake up!"

Her eyes shot open, and she suddenly realized it had all been a dream. She patted herself down, and made sure there was no blood. She held Michael's face with her hands, and forced them to speak – literally – face to face.

"Michael…. I – I had a flash in my dream. I know what Max is planning to do. We have to kill Tess. We have to Michael. She's controlling Max… oh God… Michael. It was horrible." She feigned great sorrow to match her great lies, and buried herself in his arms.

He stroked her head. "Shh, it's ok. It was just a dream."

"No, no it wasn't just a dream. It was real."

Inside Kyle and Liz's room, there was a much different kind of suspicion going on. Liz was informing Kyle of Isabel's plan to rid herself of Tess, and to take over control of the throne. She also made it very clear that, she, was of course innocent in all of it.

"… then she told me that if I knew what was good for me, I'd keep my mouth shut." She shuttered.

Kyle sighed, taking this in. "I can't believe Isabel would do that. What happened? Why did she change?"

"I don't know." Liz lied. "But she was like this before, when she was Vilondra."

He nodded. "We need to tell Max."

"No. We can't, Max won't believe us, then we'll be doomed."

He sighed. "So what do you think we should do?"

"We need to take care of the problem, before we get killed because of it."

His eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying desperate times, call for desperate measures."

"Hush little baby don't say a word, mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird…" Tess sung her lullaby to Zan, as he drifted to sleep in her arms.

Max watched with quite contentment as his wife cuddled and soothed his son. It brought him a sense of peace he had not known in years. As she laid their son, who was now asleep to bed, she sat down and ran her fingers carelessly through her hair – combing a few knots out.

"They're plotting, Max." She said quietly.

He frowned. "What?"

"The others, they don't want me here."

Max nodded in agreement; he knew all to well how the others felt about Tess' return. He was beginning to suspect they would leave him.

"We can't do anything about it yet. Let's get some rest." He pulled her onto the bed with him, and they went to sleep, with Zan between them.

As the unsuspecting aliens slept. Several vans parked themselves in the parking lot, a dozen men with electric tazer weapons crept along the walls, careful to remain silent. First they opened Liz and Kyle's room. Moment's later they carried to unconscious bodies into the first of three vans.

Next they opened Isabel and Michael door. Isabel, to their astonishment was standing, waiting for them to arrive. She smirked happily as the first troop entered.

"Be careful boys, this alien bites – hard."

The troop leader said. "Take her!"

"Uh, uh, uh." She shook a finger at them. "I don't think you'll need those." She pointed to their tazers and they melted in the troops hands. "Now listen to me, very carefully."

Outside, more troops entered into Max and Tess' room.

Suddenly, Tess awoke to the sound of Zan screaming. Her eyes traveled the room, finding several troops cramming into the small living space. One of them grabbed her, covering her face, and hitting her with something electric. Her body convulsed, and soon she found herself unable to remain awake. In the distance she could hear Max struggling, and Zan screaming.

**Their Past Lives**

The crowds were screaming. They were cheering their brand new queen with such enthused cries, that the ground itself was shaking. Ava smiled and waved diligently at her people. She approached a tall podium, with a small glowing ball – a microphone or sorts. This was the day she was inaugurated as Queen of Antar – co ruler of her world. This was her big speech – of the duties she was entrusted to handle, and policies she would create and uphold.

"War. Its looming presence is always there, in the back of your minds as you tuck your children into bed, as you go to your jobs, or schools. I understand your fears. We have been at odds with many of our planet's neighbors. As your Queen, I have already struggled to come to terms with the fact that War – although unwanted, may be unavoidable. I do not promise a war-free world, I promise to do my best, to keep our army safe, to keep you safe – if and when war becomes necessary.

Many of you decided long before my husband and I took our thrones, that you would despise us for any wars that might break out; that we should back down before our enemies and let them do what they will. I am here to tell you, no. No, I will not yield before our foes. No, I will not back down; I will not let another nation, and another world decide our fates! If they feel the need to knock upon this majestic world's gates, than so be it! For I will stand waiting for them, I will fight them. And trust you me, they will not find an easy target to attack."

Ava stepped away from the podium, and listened as a wave of roaring people screamed, pleased with her speech and promise of commitment to them. Zan stepped forward, and took his wife's arm; they walked together into the palace hall, the sounds of their people's screaming and cheering fading into oblivion.

**Their present lives**

His eyes shot open. It was dark, and quiet. He couldn't even see his hand in front of his face, so Michael began to crawl on his hands and knees. After a moment, he bumped into something. Feeling it, he realized it was a person.

"Hello?" He shook the body. "Hello?"

"Uh… I'm here, what?"

It was Isabel, supposedly waking from a daze. In reality, she had instructed the troops to knock Michael out, and then she herself pretended to be asleep in case he woke during the ride to the base. Now here, she was in the perfect spot to start her plan.

"Are you ok?" She feigned interest.

He nodded. "I'm good. How's the baby?"

He touched her stomach, and she pulled away. She didn't want to feel attached to him, especially not now, that she knew what was going to happen to him.

"Where are we?" He wondered aloud.

"I don't know?"

"Well, we should try to find a way out."

He began to feel the walls, fumbling his way about. Isabel made sounds, as if she was also trying to escape. In reality – she was waiting.

Down the hall and to the left another cell was occupied by aliens. This cell was not like Michael and Isabel's. This cell was dimly lit by industrial ceiling lights. The light fixtures swung slightly, casting an eerie shadow upon all that it illuminated.

Two bodies lay silently in the room, side by side. Finally, Tess began to stir. In the distance she could hear a familiar sound – the sound of leaking pipes and army men walking. She knew at once where she was. Slowly, she sat up – taking in her surroundings. She checked Max's neck for a pulse, it was weak. She turned his face to the right, and found large bruises and a huge gash along the top of his head. It was obvious they had beaten him – almost to death. She sucked in her breath and let her hands run over his wounds. She watched as he began to stir awake.

With his wounds healed a little, his eyes opened – and his nose became aware of a pungent smell. What the hell was that stink? He wondered, as his pupils grew narrow – adjusting to the light.

"Ugh…" He moaned, rubbing his head painfully. "What… the…" He muttered under his breath as he saw where he was.

Tess groaned. "Welcome back to camp hell." She stood up, helping him to stand. "Where is our son?" She ground her teeth.

"What is that smell? It smells like…"

They turned together to find – to their disgust – the remains of someone. Max looked at Tess, and they approached the body together.

"Who… is that Maria?"

Max nodded. "Looks like the thought she was one of us. God…"

Her body had been carelessly thrown away in the corner, still torn to shreds – like she'd been a rabid animal. Max covered his mouth with his shirt's edge and coughed from the stink.

"Why would they cut her open like that?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea."

Reaching out, he touched Maria's cold shoulder. Instantly he was taken back, to the moments of her demise.

**Maria's flashback**

"Alright, I got it!"

Maria ran out the backdoor of the Crashdown Café – threw some garbage out, and picked up an empty crate. Before she could reach the door again, several men in suits grabbed her, tossing her against the wall, and dragging her into their van.

Later, she awoke in the very cell Max and Tess now found themselves. Many men surrounded her. She began to cower into the corner and cry. One of the men grabbed her and shook her – while another yelled at her to tell them where the others 'like' her were.

"I don't know! I don't know!" She cried.

The man yelled said. "We captured footage of you with them. We know you are a part of their group. We know you chose to stay behind. Where are they? How many of them are there now? Why are you here?"

"Please, stop – I'm not an alien!"

"Shut up!" He smacked her face hard, and her lip began to bleed.

Sobs echoed off the cold cement walls. "Please…" She cried.

They grabbed her and strapped her down to a cold table. They began to open the poor girl up – while she was still awake. Maria screamed for mercy, but found none. She cried again and again that she was not an alien, but they refused to believe her. Finally, they opened her up completely – and at once the military doctor stepped away. Maria, now unconscious from the pain, was left alone for a moment.

"What's the matter Doctor?" The man asked.

The doctor went pale with fright. "She's human."

"What?"

The doctor backed away further. "She's human!"

"Shut up… this doesn't leave the room. Kill her, than dissect her. She had interaction with those things; we have to know what that does to us."

"Sir?" The doctor asked. "You want me to kill and innocent human?"

"I want you to do you job."

**Maria's Flashback ends**

His hand flew from the girl's cold dead skin. Max fell back, gasping for air.

"They thought she was an alien. They killed her – even after they knew the truth."

Tess squeezed Max's arm gently and stroked his back. They mourned for a moment, but she would not allow more than that. She immediately began to search the walls. Max was still in shock. Tess turned to her husband, about to shake him from his shock, and toss him into this brand new, grim reality.

"If we do not get out of here, right now – they will do to Zan, what they did to Maria. Do you understand?" She pressed.

He nodded emphatically. "Let's get our son back."

Even further down the long, narrow hall was yet another cell. This one was almost identical to Isabel and Michael's. Liz and Kyle however, were not calm and collected. Liz pounded on the walls, and Kyle screamed for someone to open the door and let them out. Their cries fell upon deaf ears, for no one in the compound was going to listen to a couple of alien prisoners.

"Oh God…oh…" Liz was hyperventilating.

Kyle shook with fear, remembering the stories of Max's time in the white room. "We're all gonna die."

Liz shook her head. "No, I refuse to die here. There has to be a way out. There has to be."

They began to tedious job of checking each and every brick for a weakness they could use to their advantage.

Back inside Isabel and Michael's holding cell, things were progressing smoothly. Isabel watched as four troops slowly opened their cell door, and stepped inside. She smiled happily at them, as they approached her.

"Did you do as I said?" She asked.

The troop's commander nodded. "We did."

"What they hell is going on here Isabel?" Michael protested upon seeing her interact with the humans.

The troops went toward him with great authority, pinning him down. "Hey! What the hell!"

"Hold him still, I need to retrieve something." Isabel explained.

She took careful steps toward her confused, and betrayed lover. His chest was heaving with anger. He grew tense as she approached him. Closer and closer. He knew something… this all felt too familiar.

"Vilondra?" He gasped.

Startled by the use of her name, she stepped back – baffled. Quickly, she recovered her senses and smoothed her hair carelessly.

"Leave." She ordered the troops.

The troops stared at one another, confused. Isabel glanced at them again, this time fire flickered in her eyes.

"I said go!" She commanded, and they left at once.


	7. Chapter 7

Michael stepped back from Vilondra, now understanding that this was not Isabel. He banged into the wall, and jumped a little.

"What did you do with Isabel?" He asked.

She giggled fondly at him, and pulled some hair behind her ear. "She's right here. Darling."

"No, Isabel would never betray us."

Snorting from her laughter she answered. "But you forget Rath… Michael…" She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you call yourself, I betrayed you all before – old habits die hard."

"Your betrayal killed you in the last life. What makes you so sure it won't happen again?"

Her shoulders shrugged. "A hunch… see, last time I put my trust in people who weren't up to par… this time, I'm doing everything on my own."

"What do you want?" He inquired.

She smiled brightly, and reached out, touching his chest. "I want the key to the throne, of course."

"What?"

Sighing, she pressed her palm harder against his chest. "You, Tess, Zan and I all have sections of one ultimate power; a power that allows total rule over our planet – and gives us incredible power."

Michael frowned. "Don't you mean Max?"

"No, Max died, so technically his key was passed down to Zan, his son. No need to fret though, I haven't forgotten my brother. He'll still get his."

With that Isabel's hand pressed viscously against Michael's skin. Her hand lit into a flaming red color – leaving Michael screaming in pain. Her palm burned into him, much like Nasado's palm had killed, all those years ago. Flashes of memories swept though him – and finally he remembered who he was.

**Their past lives**

At the head of a vast army, was one man; Rath. He commanded the army of Antar. This was to be their greatest victory. They would become rulers of their solar system, and their world would reach a new era of peace.

"Charge!" He yelled.

Thousands upon thousands of men, and women charged the lines of war. Some rode animals that looked like a cross between Elks and Horses. They were brown and white, with the heads of horses, the horns of Elks and no tails at all. Others rode in machines that hovered slightly from the ground. They were pointed with sharp blades, and had no visible doorways or hatches.

In his hand, Rath held a weapon. On one end it was a sharp silver and gold blade – on the other end it was an energy blast weapon. He gripped the energy blasting end, and sent a wave of his own power through it. Amazingly, the strange device fired a beam of light that was so powerful it cut through anything in its path.

Rath was a warrior. He was the sole commander of his world's vast army. Only one man stood above him, the king. As his gaze went to the far-east, he saw upon the mountain top three figures silhouette by the shining of their suns. It was the King, Queen and Vilondra – his bride-to-be, and princess of all Antar. He fought for them, for her. He may have been contracted to marry her, but he had grown to love her – deeply. In fact, he'd never loved another the way he loved his Lonnie.

**Their present lives**

"I loved you." Michael sobbed through moans of pain.

Isabel chided his words and laughed horribly. "Love? Love is for the meek, those who accomplish don't love; they conquer."

Michael gritted his teeth together and snarled at her, his eyes glaring fire. "Get off!" He screamed, shoving her back with his palms against her chest.

Isabel stumbled back, quickly gaining her balance. She watched with a small smirk as Michael fell to the ground, his energy drained from her touch. The skin on his chest sizzled in the shape of her handprint.

"Feeling ok, lover?" Her head cocked to the side, as her lips curled slyly into an evil smirk.

Michael raised his head, as he leaned on his knees and hands against the floor. "Take what you want from me, because if you let me live, I'll kill you." He grimaced at her.

"Is that so?" She grinned, kneeling by his weak, shaking body.

Her hand found his chest again, reconnecting against his wound, and causing great screams of pain to echo from his lips. After a moment, his body began to shake, blue swirls of energy rose from his chest, flooding into her hand, wrapping around her glowing red fingers, and finally fading into her skin. As the light dimmed, Michael collapsed to the ground, breathing shallowly.

"Thank you, Rath." Isabel smirked. "You've given me one fourth of an awesome power."

Michael said nothing. His chest rose and fell quickly, as if he were suffocating. Isabel stood to her feet, glancing down at him. He began to motion, as if he was going to grab her ankle. She stepped back and kicked him swiftly in the stomach. Watching as he doubled over in pain, rolling in agony, unable to breath, unable to stand. He was helpless.

"Please don't touch me; you'll get your filth all over my new pants." She sighed, dusting her legs off and heading to the cell door. "Open up." She ordered. The trooped slung open the heavy door and Isabel walked to the doorway, turning her head to say her goodbyes. "If you live much longer, I'll be surprised; when you pass, give my regards to mother when you see her." She chuckled.

"I found something!" Max exclaimed. "I think this spot is weaker, if we use our powers together, it might weaken enough for us to get through."

Tess walked to his side, and placed her hand on the same spot, on top of the back of his hand. She looked at him, staring him in the eye. Max closed his eyes, as did Tess – with their concentration as one, they began to bore a hole in the very thick cement wall. Together their hands pulsated with green energy, reminiscent of a time before, when Tess had helped Max maintain his barrier, while at congresswoman Whitaker's funeral.

"Almost there." Max said, as his eyes opened to find the hole had widened enough to slip through.

She opened her eyes, and released his hand. "Let's go."

Wasting no time, they slipped through the small hole, and fell to the corridor outside. Tess crawled to her feet, and ducked into a doorway as a line of troops passed by, pulling Max in just in time. They were pressed together, their chests touching with each breath. Tess turned her head, and looked behind her around the corner.

"It's all clear." She said quietly.

Max touched her cheek.

"Max?" Tess turned her face to his, her cheek being held by his hand.

He smiled fondly. "I want you to know that-"

But before his words could come to a conclusion, moans echoed down that hallway. They turned toward the sound of the voice. Knowing, all too well who it was.

"It's Michael, sounds like he's hurt." Max said in a hush tone.

Tess nodded. "That way." She pointed.

They snuck down the hall until they found the cell. Using their powers to open the door, they walked inside.

"Michael?" Tess whispered.

Max squinted, but could see nothing. "Hold on." He said.

His hand rose into the air, the glow of his palm lit the dark room lightly. Tess gasped, as did Max, upon what they saw. Michael was lying on the ground, looking near dead.

"Hold on, I'll heal you." Max said at once, bending down to heal his kin.

Michael reeled on the ground, grabbed at Max's shirt with his fist, painfully pulling himself up to speak. "Maxwell…" He grunted. "It's Isabel."

"What?" Max said, confused.

"Isabel, she…" He collapsed to the ground, unable to continue.

"What's taking so long?" Tess asked, seeing that Michael was no better.

Max shook his head. "I don't know…" He ripped open Michael's shirt, to find the wound not that of a human's doing. "Oh my… God." He gasped.

"Is that… that looks like an alien wound." Tess said.

Max shook his head in disbelief. "That's not possible." He looked at Michael. "Who did this?"

The Alien King's second in command didn't answer. Michael's body let out a long, slow gasp of air then went limp. His body seemed to decompress, and deflate – relaxing beyond its normal ability. Unable to comprehend what just happened, Max touch Michael's shoulder.

"Michael?" he begged. "Michael…?"

Tess let out a small whimper. "Max… he's…" She began to tell him the truth.

"No. No, don't say it." He pleaded with her.

She touched his shoulder, and let him cry a moment. "Max, we can't stay here. We have to get Zan." She paused cautiously. "And Isabel, Kyle and Liz are probably in trouble."

His body shuddered, as he sobbed for his lost brother. Shutting his eyes, and touching his friend's face once more, Max rose to his feet and met his wife at the door. One more Alien death, a casualty of a war they were born into – Michael was dead.

"I'm going to kill them all for this." He gritted his teeth.

Tess shook her head. "Max, focus." She led them out of the cell and into the hallway. "We have to find the others, and save Zan before anyone else dies."

He nodded, agreeing but not happily.

Isabel took long strides down the hallway. She made a right turn and walked directly into an office. She closed the door and sat down across the desk from a man in uniform.

"Don't look so nervous." She smiled. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."

The man loosened his tie and nodded. "Right then, why are you here so soon?"

"I can't find the orb." She sighed. "I think one of the little runts you're holding hid it from me."

His eyes narrowed. "We want that orb; my people need it to defend ourselves against your people."

"They're not my people… there are factions on my planet that would like to see Earth, as well as a few other planets destroyed – for resources, okay?" Isabel crossed her legs and gave him a wry smile.

The officer sighed with both longing, and fear. "Do you know which one hid it?"

"I have a good idea." She said with a smirk. "I'll need a key or two to get into the cell."

Meanwhile, Tess and Max were wandering quietly through the cell halls, looking for their son first and foremost, and hoping that on the way they might bang into the others as well.

"This is just great." Tess was frustrated.

Max sighed, wiping his brow. "All these halls look the same."

"Well, I have no clue where to go." Tess threw her arms to the air, and let them fall to her sides.

Then, as if on cue Tess dropped to the ground, holding her side in pain. She bit her lip to keep from screaming. Max fell to her side, alarmed that there seemed to be no cause for her agony.

"What is it?" He asked.

She said hushed. "Zan… he's… something is happening."

The cell door creaked open. Polished heels clicked on the cement floor. A figure scurries away, cowering in the corner. Isabel turned, shutting the door.

"Liz…" Isabel called. "I want the orb."

"Where'd they take Kyle?" Liz begged.

Isabel sighed, grabbing the girl by her sides and lifting her off the ground. "I do not have patience. Do you understand? Tell me now, and I'll make sure you die quickly."

"I can't tell you, I have to show you…" Liz offered.

The Alien princess threw the girl across the cell. "Fine, you better not lead us astray. Or so help me… I will make it very painful."

Liz crawled to the doorway, where four troops awaited her. They snatched her up and dragged her down a long hall. As she watched the doors of the hall go by, she saw one cell that was open, Michael lay inside, dead. Another cell had Kyle pacing back and forth – alone. She couldn't find Max or Tess; maybe they were already dead like Michael? Liz began to worry that Isabel would keep to her word and kill her.

"What do you mean something is happening?" Asked Max, he helped Tess to pick herself up.

She gulped back her want to cry. "I don't know, it's a feeling, like he's calling me."

Nodding, he sighed. "When you… when you two were on Antar and I was trying to find a way to get there, I had something like that happen. I was swimming in a pond and almost drowned."

She grinned, proudly. "Our son is connected to us, deeply." She crouched down, pulling Max with her. A few troops went by. "We should go, now."

They crawled past a windowed wall, and made their way into a hospital looking section of the base. It seemed to be where they were holding Zan.

"Over here, doctor, here." A nurse drags a doctor with a pad, and pen to a small table where Zan was laid out with all sorts of wires attached to him. He began to cry.

"My God." The doctor gasped.

Zan's cries caused sparks to fly off the electronics, and blue electricity run along his skin. He seemed to be in some kind of trauma.

The nurse checked a machine. "I don't understand these numbers. It's not humanly possible." She panicked.

"He's not human." The doctor explained. "Go get the team… we're gonna have to run some tests."

The nurse nodded and sped away to retrieve items for the tests.

"Something smells funny." Max noted.

Tess sniffed. "Smells like sulfur. That's weird."

They carefully walked down a corridor. Ahead of them was a room with a row hospital beds. People lay on some of them, many unconscious or writhing in pain. No one seemed to care that these people suffered the way they did.

"These poor people." Tess muttered.

They grabbed a few doctor's coats and used them as a disguise. As they wandered from bed to bed, Max grew more and more upset. Tess wandered into the next room, while Max remained in the first room. He had passed by a bed with a little girl. Her face had consumed his attention. She looked amazingly like Tess had in the pod. Her blonde hair, blue eyes, those curls. Her face was flushed with red, and her eyes puffy and swollen. Max touched the small girl's face, her eyes opened a bit.

Upon seeing the alien king standing over her, she gasped wildly. She sat up and reached out to grab his arm. Her hand leaving a silver hand print on Max's forearm. He pulled away for a moment. She sat back, breathing heavily.

"W-who are you?" Max asked quietly.

The girl looked into his eyes, pulling his hand into hers. "Zan, they are coming. You should go." She gulped back some pain. "The people need you."

Stumbling back, Max accidentally pulled back a sheet that had covered the view of other beds. When he turned, Max saw something that was utterly horrifying. Before him now, was not one, but four children. One of them children looked like Isabel, with her long blonde hair and big eyes. Another was diffidently Michael, his wild brown locks framing his mischievous face. Then, the last child was most shocking. It was that of his own face. The child before him was himself!

"How is this possible?" Max spun around.

The children rose from their beds, arms spread out to receive Max into them. They circled around him, chanting in an alien language. The alien king strained to understand. The kids become so close they encircled him, joining their tiny hands around him. They circled around him, spinning. The faster they spun, the faster they chanted. Soon their joined hands began to glow with sliver light. Suddenly they stopped. And where each child stood, the ground glowed. They hands disconnected and plunged their palms onto Max's body. He fell to his knees, as a swarm of light engulfed his quivering body. When the light had faded, the children were gone, and all that remained was Max, lying on the ground, unconscious.

Isabel and Liz were in an army jeep, heading into the desert. Liz was nervously shaking, watching the alien princess and the troops carefully. Suddenly Isabel grabbed at her head, and screamed so loudly that the vehicle shook. A brilliant beam of silver light shot from her eyes, her head snapped back, she faced the sky as the light beamed out into the cosmos. The car stalled out, and stopped. The trooped tried to re-start the jeep but whatever had just occurred had killed the engine for good.

Inside the base, Tess had reached a dead end. None of the beds held her son. She spun around and realized quickly that Max was no longer beside her. She looked from side to side. Her vision suddenly becoming blurry; so dizzy, that she grabbed at the curtain of a hospital bed to stop from falling. The curtain pulled down and she hit the floor. Her head spinning, she crawled her way into the room they had come from. On the ground was Max. He was silent. Tess managed her way to his side, and flipped him onto his back.

"Max?" Tess touched his face. "Max, something is happening." Tess begged her husband. "No, Max you can't leave me here. Please!" She shook him violently.

Max did not wake up. Tess held his hand, it was cold. Tears began to well up as the lump in her throat rose. Struggling to rise to her feet, she grasped at her head. Whatever had taken her for a moment seemed to be passing, she hoped.

"Forgive me Max, but I must save our son." She whimpered, staggering away.


	8. Chapter 8

In their past lives

Kivar hands a set of notes off to a subordinate. They nod and walk away. He turns around and closes the door. Zan and Ava sit, pretending to still be tired up against the bed. Their arch enemy gets closer, a smirk on his face. Ava shifts slightly, shifting her weight. Zan sees this and gives her an eye, as if to say not to do what he thought she was going to do. She rolls her eyes at him, and then jumps up quickly. Full-out body slamming Kivar, they slid to the ground.

"Run, save the throne!" Ava screamed, while wrestling with Kivar.

Zan stood up, shocked. "I can't."

"You must, that's an order!" She bellowed.

He ran to attack Kivar. "I'll kill you!"

"No!" Ava's voice echoed loudly.

The walls shook as her palm became out-stretched; her power suddenly surged and knocked Zan all the way out into the hall outside their chambers.

"You're the face of an entire world, run!" She begged aloud.

The doors were shut by Kivar – making use of his powers. Zan tried to open them, but they were locked tight. There was a scuffle; he could hear Ava scream and cry – then silence. Zan pounded the doors with his fists so hard that when they finally opened, he fell through the doorway, landing on his knees. Through teary eyes, he saw his worst nightmare unfold before him.

"Ava… petal?" His voice cracked. He had not called her that since they were young.

He crawled to her, sliding her on his lap, he looked at her face. Still and silent. A mere shell of what had once been. He started to cry. It was a full, thick sob. His tears burned down his cheeks, feeling more like hot pokers.

"I won't let you go for nothing. We go together. We go all the way. I promise you."

He lifted her body up, and ran down the corridor. Kivar had disappeared. More than likely he was starting his plans for a complete take-over. Simply taking the thrown would not be enough. No matter how many people hated Zan, there were still enough people that liked him, which would cause riots, civil wars and much more. Many horrible things would happen in the wake of this day. The king of Antar knew his world was falling from grace. It was about to take the largest hit of all however. It was about to loose its king.

"Here we are…" He kicked open the door, and shut it behind him with his foot.

Setting his bride down on the floor, he turned the lights on. Zan spun around, hunched over and whispering. He was lowly calling out for his scientist to come out of hiding. After a moment, a small man with very large eyes and ears appeared from behind a machine.

"The time has come to test this device." Zan said.

The scientist shook with nervousness. "My, my lord, no. It's not done."

"Does it work?"

He nodded with a little fear. "Yes sir, but your incarnate may not have the memories of this life. It could lead to a problem with you returning to us."

Zan took a look at his dead wife's face. Her sweetness floated into his mind, he touched her cheek, bending down to inhale her sweet scent for just a moment before doing his final act as king.

"I could never forget her." He said with confidence.

The scientist grunted uncomfortably. "You really won't have any control over the ultimate retention of memory from this life. It's more just a matter of luck."

"I know in my heart that we'll be together again. I feel it." He stood back up, flipped the lever on his left, which started the strange machine in the room. "Do it."

The machine looked like a large sphere. It spun around wildly, while it spun light started to fill it up. Zan stared at it for a moment. The scientist pressed a button, the sphere of light opened up.

"When you go in, there will be a moment of warmth, then the light will appear to fade, and…."

Zan nodded. "What about Vilondra and Rath, and my wife?"

"I have collected Princess Vilondra's and Commander Rath's samples. All that is needed is the Queen, and of course you, my lord."

The king scooped his wife up and stepped into the sphere. The light boomed forth, spilling onto the floor and engulfing all things near. And when it faded, the scientist opened the sphere to find the King collapsed with his wife on top of him. They were now both dead.

Their present lives

Isabel's head arched forward, the light that beamed from her was gone. Liz was startled, shaking in the corner. The alien princess grabbed the driver and forced him to come to a stop.

"This is it, right?" She smirked. Pulling Liz out of the vehicle, she threw the girl to the ground. "This is where you hide the orb? You are a fool."

Liz crawled away from Isabel, and lifted herself from the ground. "You don't even know." She smiled.

"What do you mean?"

The human-turned-alien stepped back, bent down and touched the dirt. "You have no idea what the orb does. Do you?"

"I don't care what they do. The humans need it, and I'm helping them to fulfill my own needs. There is nothing wrong with that."

She bore a hole into the ground with her powers, and reached in. After a moment, Liz pulled out the orb. "This? The humans want this?" She laughed. "This isn't going to help them with anything…"

"Oh and why is that?"  
"Vilondra… you power hungry whore. You are so blinded by yourself that you don't see deception very well, do you?" Liz chided.

The princess cocked her head. "Have you been deceiving me? Absurd, you are a commoner!"

"I was a member of the royal court. I held power, but not political sway. Why do you think the king came to my bedroom night after night? Why do you think I was the one person that was ever able to even come close to splitting the king from his queen? Why?"

Becoming somewhat nervous, Isabel's eyes focused. "Why then, tell me."

"I possessed the power of intoxication. I could delight the king with my wiles. This was not however, my sole gift. I was also a skilled thief. I stole this one night, long ago, while sitting in the main hall of the palace with the other members of the king's court." Her mouth carved into a crooked smile.

Isabel ground her teeth together. "You stole from the throne!"

"Unlike you four, I studied my history in school as a child. When I saw the orbs, I remembered exactly what their potential was. This is the Orb of Might. The other is the Orb of Eternity. Together they offer eternal might to the throne. They were used as a symbol. Long ago however they bestowed upon your great, great grandfather the power to take the throne, ushering into Antar it's next era of Royalty. The orb of might had transformed your kin into a walking embodiment of supremacy, the orb of eternity allowed that power to be passed down, from generation to generation – to your brother Zan, and to you – Vilondra. However, with hear passing year the memory of what had given your family so much faded, and you all became used to your roles as leaders. But not I. My family gave those orbs to your great, great grandfather when he was only a soldier. They were a gift that was meant for my kin, not yours! With my powers I was able to seduce the king, but I could never kind the other orb."

"How did they end up on the ship in 47?" Isabel asked, as if to disprove her story.

Liz laughed. "I haven't a clue. When you killed me, I lost track of them. No matter. Now you will pay for all the trouble you have caused me!"

"What are you gonna do, stare me to death? Your power doesn't come close to mine, you are just a fool." Isabel took strides toward Liz.

The girl grinned. "Fine, I can play."

She tossed the orb into the air; it lit up like a Christmas tree before shattering on the ground like glass. A huge bolt of light shot into the sky where it broke and Liz stepped into the light. At once the light swirled around her, lifted her up and tossed her back down. She landed on her feet, radiant and glowing, but not very angelic looking. Her face was different somehow, more like Kesia had been.

"What the hell?" Isabel covered her eyes from the blinding light.

Liz's voice echoed as she laughed, sounding like there was two of her. "This is the might of Antar. This is the strength that flows through your veins, and now through mine as well!"

"Enough is enough; Time to shut up the loud mouth." Isabel scoffed, laying her hand out to blow her back.

Her blast of power did nothing to faze Liz. In fact it seemed to make her overjoyed. The power-crazed girl took a deep breath, seeming to suck in all the air around her. Then, she blew the air out. Such a flood of wind came forth that Isabel lifted from the ground and skidded along the desert sand. When she stood up, she realized that this time she may have bitten off more than she could chew.

On the floor, in the hospital wing of the base; Max groggily rose to his feet. His hands were throbbing, and he noticed his vision was different – more detail, more vivid.

"Tess?" He said quietly. "Where are you?" He spun around to find his wife missing. "How long was I out?" He wondered aloud.

He reached down and grabbed the clip board from one of the beds that had contained the children. On it said:

_Alien-human hybrid, age: 6. Same DNA as previously held Alien-human hybrid by the name of 'Max Evans' (Note: Evans is a believed member of a group of aliens planned to invade America.) Confidential level: 9 – TOP SECRET – Project Name: Sandstorm._

"Same DNA?" He placed the clip board back. "They must have sent new hybrids." Max concluded.

The king of Antar snuck back into the halls of the base, more confused then ever. On top of it all, he was by himself now, and looking for his son, wife and sister. He feared he was the only one left, and that now, there was nothing left to live for.

Not too far away was Tess. She opened the third to last door in a series of doors. They were filling a small hallway tucked in the back of the building. As she got closer, she recognized the walls as being soundproof. 'They want to keep something quite.' She thought. The door slid open, what sat in her view was the most awe-inspiring thing she had ever seen. On a table, surrounded by an incubator made of bulletproof glass, inside a room that had two doctors and an armed guard was, Zan!

He was medicated, his breathing low. Tess' nostrils flared. They didn't know she was behind them, staring at her baby. He was hooked up to ever damn wire she saw! Her heart beat faster. What right did they have to touch her child? What right did they have to endanger his life? Her anger grew.

In an instant upon seeing her child in such peril – Tess charged into the room – fists up and ready. Sparks kicked up from behind her heels. An unseen electric energy charged the room with tension. It seemed to rev Tess up, and Zan started to move a little more.

Snatching her baby, and spinning around so fast on her heels, dust spread on the floor. She turned a corner, and another, and another. Speeding down the halls at a rate she'd never reached – she moved like superman. She was running so quickly she couldn't read the door numbers anymore. She didn't know which way to go. All she cared about was getting Zan and herself out of there in one piece. With Max dead, Michael dead and Isabel missing Tess knew she didn't stand a chance unless she could get out of here and hide.

Only one area over Max was dizzily searching for Tess and Zan. It was while he was sneaking from one side of a hall to the other when he heard something. The sound was piercing. It bore a hole into him and caused his entire body to freeze like a deer in the headlights. The sound was perfect, and absolute. It was Zan! He was crying!

"Zan!" Max screamed at the top of his lungs.

Running from the guards, troops, and doctors - all aiming to kill her and her child – Tess sighed in relief. For as she ran, Zan began to cry - and she finally knew by the sound of his lungs that he was ok. A moment later she heard another voice that thrilled her to the point of having an anxiety attack.

"Max?" Tess screamed back. She heard him cry out for Zan. Didn't she? Tess was sure she heard someone call for Zan, it had to be Max! Max was alive!

"Tess?" The voice cried back.

"I'm here! Over here!" She screamed.

"Where? I can't find you!" He exclaimed, his voice seeming to fade away.

"No the other way, this way, here, here!" She screamed, while ducking a shotgun bullet as it whizzed by her head.

"I'm coming!" He screamed back, this time he was close.

Turning another corner Tess slammed to a stop. Max rounded the corner as well and screeched to a quick stop. They were nose to nose, Zan placed between them. Without a moment to hesitate, Max held out his hand and started a barrier. Tess kept a safe distance behind Max, as they made their way down the hall back to back – keeping an eye out for troops from any direction.

With only the troops who were chasing Tess behind them, Max's thoughts turned to rage. He was fiercely mad at them for harming his son, for touching his wife, for killing his brother and probably his sister too! His hands started to ache again. This time, they began to glow a golden color. His hands were throbbing light with each pulse of his heart. The more beats the brighter his hands got. Tess backed away, shielding Zan from any possible danger. Max closed his barrier and began to walk toward his enemies. Soon the walk turned into a run and he pushed the first man he touched clear through two cement walls. The man's body lay crushed under a large pile of broken cement. Seeing the vast destruction Max caused, the troops got trigger happy. But Max sped toward the closest soldier and bent the nozzle of the man's gun back at him. The gun back-fired and tore a hole in the guy's face. The final soldier left; dropped his gun in fright and ran for help. The man with half a face left rolled on the ground in pain. Stepping over the bodies of his victims Max's hands finally stopped throbbing. He looked to his wife and son and knew at once why Tess had killed those men to save Zan so long ago. Given her position, he now knew with certainty that he would have done the same thing.


End file.
